James Bond: Aaron Taylor-Johnson is the “one to beat” for Bond

James Bond has been the talk of the town lately, with everyone trying to guess who’ll play him next – and bets seem to be on Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

When one actor’s time as 007 ends, a new age begins, with predictions and fan casting arising around who’ll next take on the role.

Daniel Craig’s 15-year run as James Bond left a pretty intimidating tux to fill, especially given the gut-punch of No Time To Die’s end; it wiped the slate completely clean, leaving nothing but the immense pressure to reimagine the secret agent.

Now, you may believe that Idris Elba, Henry Cavill, and Tom Hardy stand a chance, but one frontrunner is currently taking the lead: Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is the James Bond frontrunner

In an exclusive report by the Daily Mail, an insider has revealed that Aaron Taylor-Johnson is extremely close to landing the titular role in the next James Bond movie. It had been previously reported in March that Taylor-Johnson had already completed a screen test at Pinewood Studios for the role, and impressed Barbara Broccoli, the franchise’s producer.

The insider explained: “Aaron Taylor-Johnson is currently the hot favorite to step into the iconic role, he’s the first choice for Barbara Broccoli – he is the one to beat.”

The upcoming Bond movie is supposedly set to be helmed by acclaimed director Christopher Nolan. While this is sure to get fans excited, it may also have a significant affect on casting. The insider added: “Whether Nolan coming on board will affect the casting of Aaron Taylor-Johnson is currently a grey area – as he’s very particular with who he works with.”

Nolan is known for re-using cast members, such as Tom Hardy or Cillian Murphy. However, he and Taylor Johnson have worked together before, as the actor played a minor role in his 2020 film Tenet.

You can check out what we already know about Aaron Taylor-Johnson playing James Bond here and what we know about Bond 26 here. You can also read our pitch for Christopher Nolan finally directing a Bond movie here.