Following the news last week that Idris Elba is edging closer to becoming the next James Bond, the odds have improved once again, with the Luther star now an incredible 6/1 on taking up the 007 mantle. Ladbrokes spokesperson Alex Apati commented on these odds saying this.

"Idris Elba is fast becoming a frontrunner in the James Bond betting with punters convinced he'll be taking over from Daniel Craig."

The James Bond odds had already improved for Elba, having been slashed last week and bringing the actor a somewhat more unlikely 10/1. The Thor star still has some way to go though before being the main choice to wear the famous tuxedo, with Grantchester star James Norton still at the top of the leader board at 2/1.

Norton is followed closely by Outlander's Sam Heughan at 5/1 and Elba's fellow MCU actor Tom Hiddleston also at 5/1. With Elba jumping up the list, this has put The Wire actor on par with Game of Thrones' Richard Madden at 6/1, with X:Men First Class star Michael Fassbender and Mad Max: Fury Road's Tom Hardy both standing at 8/1.

Though Elba has never actively sought out the role, he has admitted in the past that if he were approached, he would definitely take it. Discussing the matter last year Elba said, "James Bond is a hugely coveted, iconic, beloved character, that takes audiences on this massive escapism journey. Of course, if someone said to me 'Do you want to play James Bond?,' I'd be like, Yeah! That's fascinating to me. But it's not something I've expressed, like, yeah, I wanna be the black James Bond."

One actor in the running who has put himself forward is Outlander's Sam Heughan, who said recently: "Obviously it's a dream for every actor...I auditioned for it back when they were doing Bond 21 - when Daniel Craig was cast in Casino Royale and I think a lot of actors were seen in the U.K. Of course, it would be a dream role. And a Scottish Bond, who doesn't want to see another Scottish Bond?!"

Before any of that though, we still have yet to see Daniel Craig as James Bond for the fifth and final time in No Time to Die, which picks up five years after the capture of Ernst Stavro Blofeld, with James Bond having now left active service. He is approached by Felix Leiter, his friend, and a CIA officer, who enlists his help in the search for Valdo Obruchev, a missing scientist. When it becomes apparent that Obruchev was abducted, Bond must confront a danger the likes of which the world has never seen before.

No Time to Die is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga from a screenplay by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Fukunaga, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltz, and Ralph Fiennes reprise their roles from previous films, with Rami Malek and Lashana Lynch joining the main cast.

No Time to Die has been delayed several times due to the ongoing global circumstances, with rumors currently abound that it may be delayed again. For now, the movie is scheduled for release on 12 November in the United Kingdom and on 25 November in the United States. This comes to us from Ladbrokes.