James Bond: Who will replace Daniel Craig? THIS frontrunner just got a BIG push

Despite ruling himself out of the running multiple times, Idris Elba has continually been linked to the role. And with production now officially in full swing on Craig’s final film as the secret agent, whispers are continuing over who will be his successor. Dame Judi Dench, who played M in multiple James Bond films up to and including 2012’s Skyfall, thinks Elba would be the perfect man for the job.

Speaking to The Telegraph, she said: “Oh, I think he would be a brilliant Bond.”

The pair are currently filming a new Cats movie, and she quipped: “When we filmed Cats he kept saying to me ‘Will you send me to the Heaviside Layer?’ And at one point I turned to him and said: ‘No – I’ll send you to MI6’.”

Elba’s competition, according to bookies, includes Richard Madden – the former star of Game of Thrones and Bodyguard.

But Dame Judi was less able to give her verdict on his Bond prospects, saying: “I don’t know Richard Madden.”

Tom Hiddleston remains the outright favourite with bookies, narrowly ahead of Cillian Murphy, Madden, Elba and Tom Hardy.

Last week Sam Heughan was rumoured to have been earmarked by producers.

“It has been 36 years since there was a Scottish Bond in Sean Connery and producers are looking for someone to emulate that success,” a source had told the Mail On Sunday.

“Sam is an experienced actor, he’s in great shape and he has a cheeky side which is appealing as the bosses want Bond to have more to him.”

Bond 25, rumoured to have the working title of Eclipse, has now begun principle photography in Norway.

You can see some early pictures and video footage from the snowy set here.

Details on the film – including its full casting, theme song artist and plot outline – are due to be announced in the near future.

Cary Joji Fukunaga is directing, having taken over last year from Danny Boyle.

Bond 25 is out on April 8, 2020.