A lot of things can happen after you win an Oscar. New and exciting doors can open up for your career, and you never know where the action will take you. Well, if the oddsmakers are right, then newly-minted Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya just found himself closer to becoming the next 007. But don’t go placing your James Bond betting money on him just yet, because while his odds are slashed in half, they’re still pretty far out.
With this past Sunday seeing the Judas and The Black Messiah actor winning the trophy for Best Supporting Actor, Daniel Kaluuya is now sitting at a 20/1 standing for the odds to play the next Bond. This information was per a statement from betting firm Ladbrokes (via Express), which previously had Kaluuya standing at 40/1 odds to take the role. Though his fortunes have increased, the competition is still as stiff as a well-mixed drink during a round of poker.
Naturally, the rest of the field in front of Daniel Kaluuya sees a lot of old favorites being bandied about. Tom Hardy, James Norton, Tom Hiddleston and Michael Fassbender are all still in the mix. And before you ask where Bridgerton graduate Regé-Jean Page sits in this particular field, he’s still the top contender for this most honored tuxedo fitting. But let’s put all of that aside and talk about Kaluuya’s potential to become the next James Bond.
Obviously there are a lot of pros to hiring Daniel Kaluuya as Ian Fleming’s legendary super spy. Kaluuya has built stellar brand recognition since his debut in Jordan Peele’s Get Out, plus his Oscar win for Judas and the Black Messiah comes from a tour de force performance as slain Black Panther leader Fred Hampton. At 32 years old, Daniel Kaluuya could very well meet the rigors of a production schedule that would more than likely return to a new 007 adventure being released every two years.
Then again, Mr. Kaluuya might not want to lock himself into such a gig, especially after an Oscar win. There’s probably offers already sitting on his desk that may present a more intriguing acting challenge, as well as standing commitments to projects like Black Panther 2. Not to mention, Daniel Kaluuya’s asking price may have just raised thanks to his win.
For an actor to be considered as the next James Bond, it almost feels like they have to be well-known enough for audiences to believe in them, but unknown enough to still build a career off of playing 007. Daniel Craig naturally hit that post rather well, and Daniel Kaluuya still has the potential to do just that. It’s up to the producers in charge at EON Productions to even evaluate this potential, and at this point, the odds seem to point towards other candidates as more favored prospects. Still, No Time To Die is set to arrive in theaters on October 8, and after that’s said and done, we’ll be off to the races for real.
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