Next James Bond villain odds: Cillian Murphy leads star-studded list of possible 007 enemies

As speculation continues over who will become the next James Bond, attention has also turned to another crucial role in the franchise: the villain.

Over more than six decades, Bond movies have produced some of cinema’s most memorable antagonists, from Dr No and Jaws to Silva and Blofeld. Now, bookmakers have drawn up a list of actors being tipped to become 007’s next major enemy.

At the top of that list is a name who was once linked with playing Bond himself.

Cillian Murphy leads the odds

Cillian Murphy was listed as the frontrunner at odds of 1/3.

The Irish actor had previously been discussed as a possible James Bond, but bookmakers instead placed him at the top of the market to play the next villain.

Murphy already has considerable experience playing dark and intimidating characters, most notably Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders.

His position in the betting also came shortly after he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Oppenheimer.

If he were cast, it would represent a major reversal from the usual Bond speculation: from potential 007 to the man standing directly in his way.

Tom Hardy is another former Bond favourite now tipped as the villain

Tom Hardy was second in the betting at 2/1.

Like Murphy, Hardy had previously been strongly associated with the Bond role itself.

However, the actor was reportedly considered too old after reports suggested producers wanted the next 007 to be a millennial.

A villain role would arguably fit comfortably with Hardy’s previous work.

Among his best-known darker performances are Bane in The Dark Knight Rises and his portrayal of the Kray twins in Legend.

Idris Elba also enters the villain conversation

Another actor long associated with Bond speculation is Idris Elba.

Elba was listed at 5/2 to become the next villain after also being ruled out of the race for 007 because of his age.

The Luther star has built a career around powerful and often intimidating characters, while his blockbuster credits include The Suicide Squad and Avengers: Infinity War.

For fans who spent years hoping to see Elba inside the Bond universe, casting him as the villain could still provide that opportunity — albeit on the opposite side of the conflict.

Gary Oldman remains firmly in contention

Gary Oldman was fourth favourite at 3/1.

Few actors on the list have as much experience portraying memorable villains.

Oldman’s past roles include Dracula and Drexl Spivey in True Romance, making him an obvious candidate for another larger-than-life antagonist.

The Oscar-winning British actor would also continue the Bond franchise’s long tradition of casting established dramatic performers as its villains.

Several younger and unexpected names also appear

The list extended beyond the four favourites.

Leo Woodall was priced at 5/1, followed by Willem Dafoe at 6/1.

Henry Cavill — another actor frequently mentioned in discussions about becoming Bond — appeared at 15/2.

Daniel Kaluuya completed the listed contenders at 8/1.

That means several actors once discussed as possible successors to Daniel Craig could instead theoretically end up facing the next 007.

The search for the next Bond was still unresolved

At the time of the report in April 2024, Bond producers had not publicly announced when the identity of the next James Bond would be revealed.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson had reportedly been formally offered the role, with a contract said to be ready and producers awaiting his decision.

Taylor-Johnson was already known for projects including Kick-Ass and Avengers: Age of Ultron, while one of his earlier major roles came in the John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy.

Until an official announcement arrived, both the next Bond and the actor who would eventually oppose him remained subjects of intense speculation.

Bond villains have always been as important as 007 himself

The franchise has relied on memorable adversaries since its cinematic beginning in 1962.

Joseph Wiseman played Dr Julius No opposite Sean Connery in the first Bond movie, establishing a template that would influence decades of villains to follow.

Richard Kiel later became unforgettable as Jaws in The Spy Who Loved Me, while Javier Bardem’s Silva became one of the most celebrated modern Bond villains after appearing in Skyfall.

Lotte Lenya played Rosa Klebb in From Russia With Love, and Sean Bean’s Alec Trevelyan became a major part of GoldenEye’s enduring popularity.

Perhaps the most iconic of all remains Ernst Stavro Blofeld.

Donald Pleasence’s version of the character became so influential that it later helped inspire Dr Evil in the Austin Powers movies.

Whoever ultimately becomes the next Bond villain will therefore inherit a role with almost as much expectation attached to it as 007 himself.