SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Following unconfirmed reports that Daniel Craig has signed up to several seasons of a new US TV series called Purity, the odds for Tom Hardy to take over as James Bond have been slashed by bookmakers.
Whilst Craig, the seventh Bond, has yet to confirm his departure from the role it’s long been rumoured that Spectre would be his final hurrah with this speculation owing much to comment from the actor himself. Craig told Time Out Magazine that he’d rather “slash his (sic) wrists” than do a fifth Bond film.
Hardy will surely be eager to take over as the smooth talking 007 and be happy to don the tux and inside of an Aston Martin following months of filming for The Revenant. Filmed in temperatures of up to -40C the film, which cleaned up at the BAFTAs, is being dubbed the toughest film shoot ever for both cast and crew.
Bookmaker William Hill has placed Hardy at 5/2 to become the eighth Bond. William Hill Press Officer, Joe Crilly, said of the news: “There will be a number of very frantic phone calls from actors’ agents this morning with one of the hottest roles in cinema history potentially up for grabs.”
William Hill has priced other rumoured contenders for the role, these include Homeland’s Damian Lewis (3/1), Jack O’Connell of Skins and Starred Up (4/1) and Luther star Idris Elba (9/2).
The compilers at Betfair meanwhile seem more certain Hardy will be named Bond with a price of 6/5 for the Legend star to be the next star to get to be picky about how his martinis are made.
Colm Rock, Novelties Trader for Betfair, said: “Craig has been publicly reluctant to commit to his future playing 007 and the latest rumours have triggered a surge of bets from customers who think Tom Hardy is due to take over as the world’s most famous spy.”
He added: “The Legend actor is 16/1 to pick up an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor later this month and was personally thanked at the BAFTAs by co-star Leonardo Di Caprio for his role in Revenant, so he is certainly hot property at the moment.”
