Next James Bond – The stars already ‘rejected’ according to 007 author

Who will be the next James Bond?

That’s the question 007 fans have been asking ever since Daniel Craig said No Time To Die would be his final outing as Ian Fleming’s spy.

And following that explosive ending we know for sure it certainly was.

However, it’s now been 18 months since the film hit cinemas and we’re still awaiting that official announcement of just who his replacement will be.

Nevertheless, speculation is rife, especially over the bookies’ odds that currently have the likes of Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Henry Cavill with the best chances of being cast apparently.

Yet despite all the hype, James Bond author Charlie Higson has shared why certain stars have already “been rejected”.

READ MORE: Henry Cavill Bond hopes dashed as fails to meet audition requirement

Higson was chatting with The Telegraph to promote his new 007 adventure, On His Majesty’s Secret Service, set just two days before the Coronation of King Charles III.

The author claimed of speculation around the next Bond: “As soon as the papers say so-and-so is being considered as the next James Bond, you know that they’re not going to be the next James Bond. You know that they’ve been rejected.

“Eon, who make the films, play their cards very close to their chest and a lot of times they really surprise people. In particular, Daniel Craig – nobody had any idea at all that he might be Bond and if you’d been asked in advance, you’d have said, ‘Daniel Craig, James Bond? Surely not’.”

Higson’s assessment would not only rule out the likes of Taylor-Johnson and Cavill, but also other favourites like Tom Hardy, Regé-Jean Page, Idris Elba, Paapa Essiedu, Richard Madden and James Norton.

The author added on Bond producer Barbara Broccoli’s strategy: “Any doubts you might have had [over Craig] immediately go out the window [after Casino Royale]. So they’re pretty clever on that front and they will inevitably wait to make the announcement at the right time to get the maximum amount of publicity.”