New Odds Reveal Favorites to Become the Next Bond Girl
The search for the next James Bond is currently underway, and with it comes the search for his female partner-in-crime.
Each of the James Bond movies has featured a so-called "Bond Girl" who accompanies the British spy on his adventures, and the role is typically played by a popular Hollywood leading lady. There has been plenty of speculation about who this could be in the upcoming Bond reboot at Amazon MGM, and Gambling.com has revised odds following a recent announcement.
Variety confirmed last week that casting for Denis Villeneuve's upcoming James Bond movie has officially started, with Game of Thrones veteran Nina Gold in charge of casting the next 007. Villeneuve has previously stated that he's looking for a fresh, lesser-known face to lead the franchise, while Amazon MGM has been vocal about hiring an A-List talent.
Plenty of names have been thrown around ever since Daniel Craig stepped back from the role in No Time To Die-and that was almost five years ago. Actors such as Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Callum Turner, and even Jacob Elordi have reportedly been considered, but no official choice has been made.
While it's Bond himself who dominates the headlines, it's equally important to get the movie's female lead right. Following tradition, the actress should be popular, contemporary, and glamorous in equal measures-and there are plenty of names who've been raised so far.
According to Gambling.com, Jessie Buckley is currently the favorite to land a role in James Bond, coming off her acclaimed performance in Hamnet last year, for which she won the Academy Award. The odds have her at 6/4, or roughly 40%.
The previous favorite, according to most betting sites, Sydney Sweeney, has fallen to second place with a probability of around 38%. The actress is best known for her roles in Anyone But You, The Housemaid, and Euphoria.
In third place is Welsh actress Aimee Ffion-Edwards, best known for supporting roles in Peaky Blinders and Slow Horses. Her co-star Jack Lowden was, at one point, considered a frontrunner for 007 himself, but those odds seem to have died down.
Previous favorites Zendaya and Florence Pugh have also sunk in popularity, despite both actors having previously worked with Denis Villeneuve on the Dune franchise. They currently have odds of 33% and 22%, respectively.
Other contenders include Rose Leslie, Eve Hewson, and Erin Doherty, who could see increased odds if Villeneuve's preference for a lesser-known cast ends up coming into play. There will, of course, be plenty of chemistry tests between the actors before anything is decided for definite, so it's unlikely a female lead will be cast before Bond himself.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 23, 2026 at 3:19 AM.