The Hollywood gossip papers are abuzz as the long search for one of the most iconic roles in cinema is finally coming to an end: the search for James Bond. The question of who will be the new 007 after Daniel Craig’s departure has fueled rumors for years, and after three finalists were announced (possibly among many), it seems like we’ll finally be getting to know who will take on the burden of ordering very strangely made martinis for the next decade or so.
No Bond is ever far from his Bond Girl, however, the femme fatale he works with (and often against) over the course of the high-stakes espionage and cinematic action sequences. Just as betting odds for who the next Bond will be have been released—Slow Horses star Jack Lowden leading the pack—bookies are also predicting that the next Bond Girl will be Margaret Qualley.
Qualley Made the Leap from Child Star to Horror Movie Icon
The model and actress, known for movies like The Substance, Honey Don’t!, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, leads BetOnline‘s odds to be 007’s next love interest. While Qualley was mostly known for her roles in shows like The Leftovers and Maid, her Golden Globe-nominated performance in body horror flick The Substance made her a genuine movie star, although her 2026 roles failed to make waves.
Apparently there’s more competition for Bond Girls than Bond: while Lowden is said to have a 62% chance of donning the suit, Qualley’s 33% odds are enough to make her the favorite. Sydney Sweeney and Anya Taylor-Joy are also in the mix, both at 25%, while Florence Pugh comes in at 17%. Rounding out the top 5 is Zendaya, while there is a considerable drop-off for other names, which vary from Emma Watson to Kate Winslet to Taylor Swift.
More iconic elements of Bond movies are also up for gambling. “Escapism” singer Raye is the bookies’ favorite to perform the movie’s theme, while Cillian Murphy leads Idris Elba–once long-rumored to play 007 himself—as the movie’s villain. It seems we’ll start getting answers to what the next generation of James Bond will look like in the near future.
