COULD the next James Bond hail from the Scottish Borders?
According to one leading bookmaker, the odds on Oxton’s Jack Lowden to become the new 007 have been slashed to 28-1 making him a strong contender for the role.
Speculation has been rife as to who’ll step into Daniel Craigs’ shoes, after he departed from the series following the release of No Time to Die late last year.
And it's no surprise that there are some notable Scottish names in the with Bond having first been portrayed on film by Edinburgh-born actor, Sean Connery, between 1962 and 1983.
So could we be set to see another Edinburgh-based actor play the iconic superspy, with Lowden having lived in the city since moving back to Scotland some years ago?
Lowden already has some Bond-like credentials to his name, having portrayed FBI agent Crawford in the Al Capone biopic Capone back in 2020 - where he starred alongside fellow Bond contender, Tom Hardy (currently priced at 5-1).
And with Bond producers claiming that they’re looking for ‘something different’ for the next superspy actor, Lowden could be a likely choice following his increase in the competitive market.
Speaking on the odds, a William Hill spokesperson said: “Although he may be lesser-known than some of the other names in the market, Jack Lowden is a good fit for 007 thanks to his Scottish connection, which could see him pick up where Sean Connery left off.
“And with producers confirming that they’re heading in a slightly different direction for the next casting, actors that see market shifts like Lowden could be a sign of where things are going.”
The current frontrunner in the market is Bridgerton heartthrob Rege-Jean Page, who sits at 9-4, followed by Idris Elba (9-2) and long-time favourite Man of Steel, Henry Cavill (5-1).
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