James Bond: New 007 SHOCK as chances of controversial casting increase dramatically

James Bond fans are on tenterhooks waiting to find out who will replace Daniel Craig when he departs as 007. Now, odds have been slashed on the next Bond being a woman. In a shock update, bookmakers Ladbrokes have cut odds on any female getting the part from 12-1 to 8-1.

The matter of whether James Bond should be played by a woman has caused much controversy already, with stars and fans alike wading into the heated debate.

The Living Daylights actor John Rhys-Davies, who played General Leonid Pushkin opposite Timothy Dalton back in 1987, exclusively told Express.co.uk his “heart quakes” at the idea of Ian Flemming’s character being recast as a female.

“That would seem to me to be not quite what the author originally intended,” he admitted.

However, he also conceded an actor’s job wasn’t to challenge what the audience wanted, quoting Samuel Johnson when he said: “But, ‘The drama’s law’s, the patrons give, for we that live to please, must please to live.’ And that’s the rule for it all.”

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Elsewhere, while details about Craig’s final appearance in No Time To Die are being kept tightly under wraps by movie bosses, Producer Barbara Broccoli has teased what’s in store when it comes to new villain Safin (played by Rami Malek).

Broccoli told Empire the team had “thrown the book” at the new bad guy, adding: “He is really the super villain.

“He’s the one that really gets under Bond’s skin. He’s a nasty piece of work.”

According to The Sun, Safin is set to be an eco-conscious villain, with a source telling the publication: “The baddie’s lair apparently has a giant algae farm.