This would be dynamite casting
Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy is now the bookies favourite to play James Bond‘s next nemesis.
Via The Sun, bookmaker expert Jake Ashton teased: “The villain role in Bond movies is just as iconic as Bond himself. With Cillian Murphy at the height of his powers and trusted by major directors, he’s a natural favourite.”
At the time of writing, odds for the Irishman being cast are at 9/2.
This comes after the iconic spy franchise’s long-serving producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson passed creative control over to Amazon MGM Studios back in February.
In a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios head Mike Hopkins commented: “We are grateful to the late Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman for bringing James Bond to movie theatres around the world, and to Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for their unyielding dedication and their role in continuing the legacy of the franchise that is cherished by legions of fans worldwide.
“We are honoured to continue this treasured heritage, and look forward to ushering in the next phase of the legendary 007 for audiences around the world.”
Following Daniel Craig’s dramatic exit in No Time to Die, 28 Years Later star Aaron Taylor-Johnson is reportedly the next guy in the frame to play Bond
Elsewhere on Murphy’s horizon is a potential job on HBO’s Harry Potter series, with previous Voldemort incumbent Ralph Fiennes exclusively telling JOE he’d make a great Dark Lord.
“Cillian is a fantastic actor. That’s a wonderful suggestion.” he said on the Dublin International Film Festival red carpet.
“He’s a great actor. He has a sort of power and a mystery about him. I think he will inhabit that mysterious, malign spirit very well – not that he’s like that. But I think he has that ability to go to a dark place, with an unknowable quality.”
The show, which will adapt one Potter book per season, unveiled the casting of its young Hogwarts students just last month
