James Bond: Cillian Murphy rules himself out of replacing Daniel Craig for THIS reason

Shooting continues on Daniel Craig’s Bond 25 for an April 2020 release, but that doesn’t stop fan speculation over who will be the next James Bond. One of the bookies’ favourites is Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy, who has no ruled himself out in the race to be the next 007. Speaking with The Guardian, the 43-year-old said: “The thing about it is, if you say anything about Bond it becomes the headline, right? There’s two things I’ll say about that.”

Murphy continued: “Firstly, there’s a whole other industry which is completely separate from the film side of things, and that’s the bookies.”

He’s right, as it stands the star is 6-1 to be the next Bond just behind James Norton, Tom Hardy and Idris Elba on 5-1 and Tom Hiddleston and Richard Madden on 3-1.

He added: “The second thing I’d say is that I think it should be a woman, which rules me out.”

His wish for the next Bond being a woman has already partially come true, with Lashana Lynch’s Nomi in Bond 25 supposedly becoming 007.

An insider told the Daily Mail: “There is a pivotal scene at the start of the film where M says ‘Come in 007’, and in walks Lashana who is black, beautiful and a woman.”

So does this mean that Lynch is the new James Bond? No, she’s the new 007.

In the closing scene of Spectre, Bond quit MI6 and drove off into the sunset with Madeleine Swann.

The official synopsis for follow-up Bond 25 reveals that Daniel Craig’s spy is now retired and living in Jamaica.

LATEST BOND 25 TITLE RUMOUR FROM ALLEGED LEAK

He’s still James Bond, but he’s no longer 007. He’s quit his Licence to Kill status meaning that another agent can inherit it.

It’s no different from someone leaving a job and someone else taking on that job title.

If anything, this narrative move is very clever by the Bond producers and screenwriters as it keeps both sides of the debate on updating the franchise happy.

Bond 25 is released in UK cinemas on April 3, 2020.