With “No Time to Die” marking the end of the journey for Daniel Craig’s James Bond, fans of the super-spy franchise began guessing who the next Bond would be—with numerous fan casts. After Craig’s remarkable performance as Agent 007 for almost two decades, the actor certainly kept the bar high for his successor. 

The speculations started going wild as the creator of James Bond, Ian Fleming’s Instagram handle teased a special announcement on October 5. Probably an announcement on who the next Bond is?

Hollywood has so far seen seven exceptional actors play Ian Fleming’s MI6 Agent in the last 60 years, namely Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Barry Nelson, Timothy Dalton, Roger Moore, David Niven, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig.

The upcoming Bond film will also be a significant one as the super-spy will serve His Majesty The King, for the first time. With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the world of 007 might take a political shift as King Charles III ascends the throne. After all, James Bond is a fictional British Secret Service agent who has vowed to protect “The Queen (now King) and Country.”

And the next Bond is?

The guesses on who would next play James Bond were always a hot topic for Hollywood, with fans eager to see their favorite actor portray the coolest spy on Earth. Some of the front-runners include Henry Cavill, Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, Richard Madden, Aidan Turner, and Sam Heughan. 

It is notable that fan-favorite Idris Elba, if cast, will be the first black actor to play James Bond. There are also rumors of casting a female Bond, with fans expecting Doctor Who and Guardians of the Galaxy star Karen Gillan to play the super-spy.

UK’s Queen Breaks Tradition, honors James Bond

The highest award a spy can get is the Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG).

The highest award a spy can get is the Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG). The CMG is awarded to government spies and diplomats following their retirement by the Queen of England.

Actor Daniel Craig received the honor of being felicitated with this award after he announced his retirement from the 007 franchise. The Queen was inspired to break the tradition after she found that the fictional character James Bond created by Ian Flemings also received this award in the book. The Queen was escorted by Daniel in James Bond get up when they shot a surprise video for the London 2012 Olympics at Buckingham Palace.

Daniel Craig, 53 is from Chester, England, and has starred in five James Bond films so far. Craig’s name is on the list of the UK’s annual New Year Honours and he will receive the award following the release of ‘No Time To Die.’

‘No Time To Die’ will be his final installment with the franchise. Craig announced his retirement after acting in five movies namely ‘Quantum of Solace’, ‘Skyfall’, ‘Casino Royale’, ‘Spectre’, and ‘No time to Die’. Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson, the film’s producers were also recognized as the Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBEs) for their contribution to the franchise.

While fans are ecstatic about Craig being awarded by Queen Elizabeth II. A certain set of netizens do not welcome the idea and believe that the Queen has made a mistake by confusing fact with fiction.