Next Bond Girl Odds: Margaret Qualley And Saoirse Ronan Move Into Contention

James Bond super-fans must be wondering whether the 26th film in the franchise is ever going to see the light of day. 

It will be four years in September since Daniel Craig's final outing as James Bond, in No Time To Die, but concrete details about who will replace him are nowhere to be seen at the time of writing. 

While the term "Bond Girl" appears to be fading out, the tradition of a female lead in the suave spy's movie series doesn't look like going anywhere fast. 

Betting sites speculating who the next Bond Girl could be have been a hive of activity in the last three and a bit years, and there is now a new favourite in town. 

Qualley's Bond Girl Substance 

Margaret Qualley is the new +163 frontrunner to follow in the famous footsteps of the likes of Halle Berry, Britt Ekland, Ursula Andress, Eva Green and Gemma Arterton. 

Qualley - the daughter of Hollywood superstar actress Andie MacDowell - has made a huge name for herself of late in the likes of drama series Maid and The Leftovers, and she received a Golden Globe Award nod for her performance in 2024 horror flick The Substance. 

If Bond producers are looking at casting a female lead in the next movie then Qualley - who might be in the running for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar chance this year - is likely to be near the top of the shortlist. 

Next Bond Girl Odds

Another actress who is no stranger to an Oscar nod is Saoirse Ronan, and she could go up against Qualley for the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award later this year. 

Ronan is +175 to be the next Bond Girl and it wouldn't be a huge surprise, considering she has been vocal about the franchise recently. 

However, she really wants to play the next Bond villain. 

Despite this, if Bond producer Barbara Broccoli came calling it would be a tough one to turn down for most. 

Abela's New Industry?

Marisa Abela is just +200 to portray the female lead in the next Bond movie. 

She recently portrayed legendary, late singer Amy Winehouse in the 2024 biopic Back to Black, and the Industry actress achieved some huge career recognition earlier this year when she was named as one of the five nominees for the 2025 EE BAFTA Rising Star Award.

Anora actress Mikey Madison was also nominated for the prestigious prize, and she is +600 to be cast as the next Bond Girl, while The Bear's Molly Gordon is a +300 chance. 

Paloma's Return 

But with Bond bosses yet to release any big news about the next film, it's becoming increasing likely that they go back to what they know best for the next instalment. 

This could mean rehiring Ana de Armas as the next Bond Girl. 

She is +650 to make a surprise comeback to the franchise, after playing Paloma in the latest 007 motion picture, 2021's No Time to Die.

But one star who has been linked to the next movie on several occasions is Florence Pugh.

The +800 shot has previously ruled out being the first female Bond, telling Digital Spy: "Someone asked if I wanted to be the first female Bond, and I was saying that I don't think we necessarily need that whole conversation.

"Do we need to have a female Bond? Couldn't we just make something new?"

However, Pugh hasn't distanced herself from playing a spy in the franchise. 

She added: "I think everyone's always interested in playing a spy, right?

"That's something we grow up admiring, which is so strange, but it's just a very clever and quick world that we all want to be a part of."

Other potential Bond Girl stars include The Brutalist's Felicity Jones (+700). 

The movie has been the focus of huge Oscars buzz this year, and it's thought Felicity could challenge Qualley and Ronan in the Best Supporting Actress category. 

* Reminder: These are hypothetical odds provided by industry experts.