Actor Damian Lewis, best known for playing Nicholas Brody on the hit Showtime series "Homeland," is rumored to be the next James Bond after bookmakers received significant action on him succeeding Daniel Craig, The Telegraph reports.
William Hill, one of the largest bookmakers in the United Kingdom, cut the odds on Lewis from 25/1 to 3/1, putting him as the second favorite behind Idris Elba ("The Wire").
"This is an unprecedented gamble, as for no apparent reason we have seen bets of up to £200 on Damian Lewis being named as the next Bond. This might well be significant," William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams said.
Betfair has cut Lewis' odds from 50/1 to 4/1.
"Damian Lewis hadn't seen any interest in the betting until this weekend, but an absolute landslide in bets has forced us to cut the odds," a spokesman said. "Idris Elba looked like a foregone conclusion but Damian Lewis has now thrown a huge spanner in the works."
Paddy Power slashed odds from 20/1 to 5/2, saying: "As the spectre of Daniel Craig disappears into the distance, it looks as though Lewis will be the next man with the golden gun."
It is expected that Craig, 47, will step down from the iconic role after this year's "Specte" hits theaters in November. Lewis, 44, would not seem to be an obvious choice to replace him, however.
Lewis did narrate Ian Fleming's Diamonds are Forever audiobook and has joked that the character's Scottish heritage - a story thread put forth in the box office behemoth "Skyfall" - has "paved the way perfectly for a red-headed Bond." Yet it is believed that a somewhat younger actor is wanted to continue the line as 007.
Barbara Broccoli, who has been a producer on the Bond franchise for more than 25 years, is a known fan of Lewis' after working with him last year on "The Silent Storm." Whether or not that means she has had conversations with Lewis about the role is unknown.
