The Bond 26 shortlist is down to three, and the 9/2 name came out of nowhere

Here's something to chew on if you're already feeling the absence of Dune: Denis Villeneuve is lined up to direct the next James Bond film. Yes, you read that right – cinema's sci-fi mastermind is about to try his hand at martinis, gadgets, and the world's most enduring spy saga. This will be the 26th film in the Bond series, and, as ever, there's a fair bit of intrigue around who'll actually end up wearing the tux and scowling from behind an Aston Martin steering wheel.

There are the usual suspects – Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Idris Elba's names have been thrown about for ages – but right now, the bookies' favourites are a different bunch entirely. Callum Turner, Jack Lowden, and, rather unexpectedly, Jack Barton are the frontrunners. Barton, especially, snuck into contention out of nowhere and now sits at 9/2 odds, which bookmakers weren't predicting a few weeks ago.

Shaken, Not Stirred: Franchise Upheaval

This next outing is shaping up to be one of the biggest shake-ups the Bond universe has seen in years. Not just a new 007, but a massive behind-the-scenes overhaul as well. It's the first Bond movie produced under the newly combined Amazon MGM mega-studio – and for the first time in decades, Bond won't be marshalled by Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Broccoli tried to sort things out with Amazon over where to steer the character, but ended up walking away after what sources have called a rather nasty creative bust-up.

Stepping into the producer shoes now: Amy Pascal (of Spider-Man fame) and David Heyman (yes, Harry Potter's own), both with heavyweight credentials. For writing duties, they've brought in Steven Knight, who's best known for "Peaky Blinders", meaning there's at least a fighting chance for some brutal one-liners and existential brooding between the explosions.

Jack Barton has leapt to 9/2 odds in the Bond race, rapidly becoming one of the top favourites among bookmakers.

What's Actually Happening In Bond 26?

Now, if you're after hard details about the plot or release date for Bond 26, you're out of luck. Absolutely nothing official on that front; they've kept it airtight so far. A few persistent internet whispers suggest Bond might go head-to-head with an adversary powered by, wait for it, artificial intelligence. Then again, there's a counter-rumour floating around that this chapter could even wind the clock back and push Bond into a historical era, which would be a massive pivot for a franchise so proud of its gadget-of-the-year traditions.

There's also no confirmation yet on the new film's title, and the release date? Still anyone's guess.