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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Paul Speed

Harry Styles neck and neck with Ewan McGregor and Chris Hemsworth in race to play 007

The name's Styles, Harry Styles - and he's in the running to play James Bond.

Chances of the Watermelon Sugar and One Direction star becoming everyone's favourite secret agent have been priced at 66/1 by William Hill.

He joins other longshots such as Star Wars' Ewan McGregor and Thor's Chris Hemsworth to succeed Daniel Craig, who stepped down from the role after last year's No Time To Die.

Quite where this interest in Harry landing the 007 role has stemmed from is unclear, with his acting chops in movies Don't Worry Darling and My Policeman receiving very poor reviews.

For the latter, The Guardian wrote that Styles "might look like the handsome movie star he’s being aggressively pushed as with his sleek matinee idol hair always in place, but he’s all construct and no conviction, a performer as unsure of his ability as we are".

While for his performance in Don't Worry Darling, BBC Culture said: "Harry Styles doesn’t quite feel up to the material here, with leaden line delivery and a lack of light and shade."

Australian actor George Lazenby pictured in 1968 (Mirrorpix)

But any lack of acting prowess never stopped George Lazenby, who was catapulted to fame in 1969 when he replaced Sean Connery as 007.

George was a former model with zero acting experience when he landed the plum role opposite Diana Rigg in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Meanwhile, Henry Cavill remains the favourite, priced at 6/4 to take over from Daniel Craig after impressing as the lead in The Witcher and Superman in various DC Universe films.

Idris Elba, who has been linked with the role for the best part of a decade, is still among the big-hitters at 5/1.

NOPE, Get Out and Black Panther star Daniel Kaluuya also get the same odds as Styles (66-1), with the 33-year-old continuing to impress every time he is on screen.

David Tennant is another big name in the 66/1 club, with the actor going from strength to strength since his stint as Doctor Who more than ten years ago.

He is currently starring in season two of Amazon Prime smash hit Good Omens, due out later this year with Michael Sheen.

Interestingly, Tennant’s Doctor Who successor Matt Smith is priced at lower odds of 50/1 to play the Martini-drinking secret agent.

Daniel Craig as James Bond in Spectre (EON Productions/Ian Fleming Estate)

Smith is currently starring in Game of Thrones prequel series House of Dragons, which despite being in its early stages has earned rave reviews from fans and critics, indicating it will make up for a poor ending to the original series.

Karen Gillan, who starred as Doctor Who’s sidekick Amy Pond during Smith’s run as the character, is also priced at 50/1 to get the nod for Bond.

After No Time To Die’s ending, speculation is rife that the next film could see a female actor take up the mantle and play the iconic character, with Lashana Lynch (who was in the last film alongside Craig) getting the lowest odds at 33/1.

Click here to see the full next James Bond market.

Bookies' favourites for Bond

Henry Cavill (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Henry Cavill - (6-4)

Idris Elba (Getty Images)

Idris Elba - (5-1)

Rege-Jean Page (WireImage)

Rege-Jean Page - (5-1)

Tom Hardy (PA)

Tom Hardy - (7-1)

James Norton (PA)

James Norton - (8-1)

Chiwetel Ejiofor (Getty Images for the Celebration)

Chiwetel Ejiofor - (9-1)

Michael Fassbender (PA)

Michael Fassbender - (12-1)

Douglas Booth as he appeared in a TV adaptation of Great Expectations (BBC/Todd Antony)

Douglas Booth - (12-1)

Richard Madden (Getty Images)

Richard Madden - (14-1)

Jamie Dornan (PA)

Jamie Dornan - (14-1)

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