Aaron Taylor-Johnson has met with producers about playing the next James Bond

Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan, Roger Moore, Barry Nelson and Sean Connery - all actors that have played the legendary James Bond character, but who looks most likely to follow in their footsteps?

Craig's reign as 007 came to an end in the 2021 film No Time To Die, though speculation around his successor has been gathering pace for years.

This is because even before No Time To Die was released, it was confirmed that Craig would be leaving the iconic role, so speculation started as to who would be the next James Bond.

While names such as Tom Hardy, Henry Cavill and Idris Elba being thrown around as the bookie's favourites, it appears a less mentioned name might actually be the more likely Bond.

That name is Aaron Taylor-Johnson - the 32-year-old English actor who is arguably best known for his role in Kick-Ass.

Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo

Taylor-Johnson is certainly less well known compared to the likes of Elba and Hardy, but he is a name picked by many fans for the next Bond.

More crucially for Taylor-Johnson, producers are apparently keen, with the two parties meeting, according to a new Puck report from Matthew Belloni.

On the website, he wrote: "And, obviously, the granddaddy of casting coups: James Bond. The Aaron Taylor-Johnson rumors are true – he sat with producer Barbara Broccoli, and the meeting went well, per sources."

But there might be a small problem, Belloni added: "While Taylor-Johnson fits the bill—great actor, British, fits the younger direction the Broccolis want to go, accomplished but not particularly famous – he’s about to be a much bigger star.

"If Sony’s Spider-Man spinoff Kraven the Hunter or Universal’s Ryan Gosling two-hander The Fall Guy works, Taylor-Johnson might end up, ironically, too famous to take on Bond."

IAN GEORGESON / Alamy Stock Photo

But Belloni did say that the meeting between Bond producers and Taylor-Johnson went well, so surely he has a shot at getting the role.

Back in November, The Sun claimed that Taylor-Johnson had impressed Bond franchise boss Barbara Broccoli in his audition at Pinewood Studios.

One insider told the paper: "Aaron went for a screen test to be the next Bond in September and producers and Barbara loved him.

He is now one of the front-runners."

While there is no official word from EON Productions on when the next Bond film will be released, it has been speculated that the next film won't go into production until 2024 at the earliest.

So an announcement on who the next Bond will be is not necessarily imminent.