With No Time to Die at last set for release in October following a series of delays, Daniel Craig's tenure as 007 will soon come to an end, leaving the coveted role of James Bond empty. Well, the studio is reportedly wasting no time in considering his replacement, and according to sources, three actors have emerged as the clear frontrunners; Bridgerton breakout Regé-Jean Page, Man of Steel star Henry Cavill, and 1917 star George MacKay.

"They are talking about Regé, but Bond producers are not making any decisions until after No Time to Die is released," the unnamed source said in a report from Page Six. "They are focusing on Daniel Craig's big finale. But Henry Cavill also is still in the running, he's a lot more famous now than when his name first came up. One other name is George MacKay. One of the producers of 1917 has come over to Bond and is suggesting George. There is some talk about rebooting the Bond franchise after Daniel Craig with someone younger, and he could fit the bill."

Now, while the first two names have been at the forefront of potential James Bond replacement lists for some time, the third is a little more surprising. Known for roles in the likes of Pride, Captain Fantastic, True History of the Kelly Gang, and the 2019 World War I drama 1917, George MacKay is a clear rising star, and at 29 years old would be the perfect age to take over from Daniel Craig should the studio decide to take a short break before rebooting the franchise once again.

MacKay is an interesting choice to take over the role of Britian's most famous spy, and is certainly a less obvious choice that both Henry Cavill and Regé-Jean Page. But perhaps that will work in his favour, with the studio no doubt wondering how they can refresh and continue the adventures of 007 following Craig's departure. As per the source, it also helps that MacKay has worked with Skyfall director Sam Mendes in the past, with an unnamed producer from 1917 lending their support to MacKay's Bond aspirations.

For now, Daniel Craig's swansong No Time to Die has yet to theaters. Set five years after the capture of Ernst Stavro Blofeld, No Time to Die finds James Bond having left active service. His peaceful life is short-lived, and he is approached by his friend and CIA officer Felix Leiter, who enlists his help in the search for Valdo Obruchev, a missing scientist. When it becomes apparent that Obruchev has been abducted, Bond must confront a villain whose schemes could see the death of millions.

Featuring Daniel Craig's final outing as 007, 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, Rory Kinnear, and Ralph Fiennes reprise their roles from previous films, with Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Ana de Armas, Dali Benssalah, Billy Magnussen, and David Dencik joining the cast as new characters.

No Time to Die will finally have its world premiere at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 28 September 2021, followed by its theatrical release on 30 September 2021 in the United Kingdom and 8 October 2021 in the United States. This comes to us courtesy of Page Six.