Who will be the next James Bond?

It's been more than three years since Daniel Craig's James Bond was last seen in the explosive finale of "No Time to Die". Since then, the rumour mill has been working non-stop in providing tip-offs to who could replace him, and yet the identity of the eighth 007 actor seemingly remains far from certain.

At times it has appeared as though a decision on the new Bond "had been made" and it was "expected" that this was the year the "big announcement is made", but 2025 is now looking more likely, said The Scotsman.

Gleaning information about the "super-secret" casting is hard to come by, but "a few major candidates have emerged" and been "top of the deck" in recent months, said GQ. Here are the key favourites to take over the Bond mantle.

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Aaron Taylor-Johnson

The 34-year-old British actor has been the front-runner since rumours swirled in the spring that he had been formally offered the role. But after weeks of "awkwardly swerving questions" and appearing "sick of the topic", Taylor-Johnson has still not been confirmed for the role, however widely remains the favourite, said The Independent.

He demonstrated his action-hero credentials as the lead in "Kick-Ass", and as Quicksilver in "Avengers: Age of Ultron". He has this year finished the Marvel superhero film "Kraven the Hunter", in which he plays the title role – and fearsome foe of Spider-Man.

Paul Mescal

Irish actor Paul Mescal has long been on the list of new Bond potentials but has surged into the spotlight with the upcoming release of his new film "Gladiator 2".

Mescal has previously been dismissed by some commentators however for not being the "right age", said The Standard, with Bond already an established veteran.

The 28-year-old actor first rose to prominence in TV drama "Normal People", but has since had a "banner few years" in which he has received an Oscar nomination for the movie "Aftersun", said GQ.

James Norton

Norton has established himself through his television performances, garnering praise for his roles in "Happy Valley", "War and Peace", and "Grantchester". While there, his acting ability would see him "easily slip into the role of the suave and sophisticated 007", the "transition from beloved TV actor to the face of the world’s biggest action franchise" may be too big an ask.

The British actor is "yet to prove that he’s true blockbuster material", but at 38 he is the right age to take on the role and carry it for "years to come".

Henry Cavill

Cavill has established credentials in portraying an iconic character, appearing as Superman since 2013 across a handful of DC movies.

The 41-year-old Brit has "previously been favourite" but his odds have "slumped" in recent months, said The Scotsman.

Damson Idris

Londoner Damson Idris is one of the "exciting fresh names" in the running for the Bond role, said Metro. At 32, he is one of the younger candidates to take over the franchise, but has impressed in his burgeoning career with notable film roles in the "City of Tiny Lights" and "The Commuter", as well as TV performances in "Black Mirror" and "Snowfall".

His odds have "unsurprisingly" improved since it was announced he will star alongside Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem in a new F1 movie to be released in 2025.

Callum Turner

Best known for his roles in miniseries "Masters of the Air" and "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore", Turner has seen his odds of becoming Bond slashed in recent weeks.

The 34-year-old British actor is relatively unknown compared to some of the other favourites, but his lack of a major role could mean it won't "infringe on his potential to be almost singularly associated with Bond once cast", something producers would "quite like to happen", said GQ.