Aaron Taylor-Johnson Still Sky High On The Bond Hopeful List, But A Gladiator II Alum Is Gaining Momentum

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As a seasoned gamer of the Bond saga, spanning from Connery to Craig, I’ve seen it all – shaken, stirred, and everything in between. The latest buzz surrounding James Bond 26 has me glued to my seat, especially with the recent surge of Paul Mescal’s odds.

In the realm of cinematic spying, a certain name continues to spark interest in the upcoming 2026 movie lineup. As anticipation builds for more information about James Bond’s next adventure, many names are being tossed around as potential contenders for the role of 007. While Aaron Taylor-Johnson remains at the top, the release of Gladiator II has given another actor a significant boost in popularity.

The Current Bond 26 Odds Field, Now Including Gladiator II’s Paul Mescal

According to recent news from betting company Ladbrokes, it seems that Paul Mescal has gained a reputation of both strength and integrity, as he has apparently managed to persuade Ridley Scott to cast him in their current legacy-sequel project. This may have led some bettors to believe that he is now a strong contender for the role of Commander Bond in future James Bond films.

  • Aaron Taylor-Johnson – 1/1 (50%)
  • Paul Mescal – 2/1 (33.3%)
  • Theo James – 7/2 (22.2%)
  • James Norton – 7/1 (12.5%)
  • Callum Turner / Lucien Laviscount – 8/1 (11.1%)
  • Jack Lowden – 9/1 (10%)

To put it simply, I strongly believe that Jack Lowden, James Norton, and Callum Turner deserve a bottle of Bollinger champagne each. For quite some time now, they’ve been contenders for the role of James Bond, as indicated by their frequent appearance in betting odds. They have managed to outshine even the most popular predictions from earlier times.

I take great pleasure in observing these outcomes, particularly since I’ve been advocating for Lowden’s James Bond prospects previously. Similarly, James Norton is another contender who has been a strong candidate for the role over the past few years. Therefore, there’s a possibility that Paul Mescal’s rise in popularity could lead him to follow in the footsteps of previous frontrunners like Henry Cavill and Regé-Jean Page.

Nevertheless, this hasn’t significantly influenced the public opinion recently, given that Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been the most talked-about potential next Commander Bond. However, with Paul Mescal now also in contention, as well as other James Bond candidates, I believe it’s high time to make a choice.

Why I’m Still On Team Aaron Taylor-Johnson In This Hypothetical Matchup

In the current stage of the James Bond movie series, if it comes down to Paul Mescal and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, I’d lean towards Team ATJ. I don’t necessarily think that the star of “All of Us Strangers” is out of the running. In fact, my preference for Aaron Johnson as Bond stems from a desire for Paul Mescal to gain more experience in action roles first.

It’s true that Paul Mescal’s performance in “Gladiator II” was quite impressive for his action movie debut, and his physicality really stood out. However, given Daniel Craig’s James Bond films which are all serious action-dramas, it seems appropriate to anticipate seeing more of Paul Mescal’s dynamic skills in future roles.

In this new era of 007 films leaning more towards a lighter tone, it’s plausible that the emotionally stirring film “Aftersun” might find success as an action-comedy. To put it another way, given that we have plenty of time to decide, let’s speculate who the next charming 00 agent could be in the coming future.

Before the official news about Bond 26 comes out, it’s likely we’ll need to wait a while. In the meantime, you could either rewatch or catch up on the Bond films for the first time, as most of them are accessible with an Amazon Prime Video subscription. Meanwhile, theatergoers can enjoy Paul Mescal in Gladiator II, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson fans have Kraven the Hunter to anticipate on December 13th.

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2024-11-27 16:37