Cillian Murphy has reportedly joined the running to take over the role of James Bond from Daniel Craig.
The actor, 47, has received widespread praise for his starring role in blockbuster Oppenheimer and is the odds-on favorite to win Best Actor at the Oscars on Sunday.
According to The sunhis performance in the film has caught the attention of Bond bosses who are still on the hunt for Daniel’s replacement.
A source said: ‘Cillian is the toast of Hollywood at the moment and this would be the ultimate role.
“This is a way to take the Bond franchise to the next level with an actor at the top of his game.”
Cillian Murphy has reportedly joined the running to take over the role of James Bond from Daniel Craig
A source said: ‘Cillian is the toast of Hollywood at the moment and this would be the ultimate role’ (Daniel Craig pictured as James Bond)
James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli is said to have kept a close eye on Cillian over the past year.
There’s still plenty of time to decide, though, as work on the 26th Bond film reportedly won’t begin until late next year.
Clay Bunker, Cillian’s Oppenheimer co-star, has backed the idea of the Irish actor taking over the role of 007.
He said: ‘It would go well for him. It’s funny because Cillian is the nicest person, but he has a dark side and there’s something dark in Bond too.
‘We forget that Bond is sometimes like the character that (Ian) Fleming created – quite a dark character.
‘He just happens to be on the side we call good. Cillian has the ability to tap into that.”
Daniel appeared in five Bond films; Casino Royale was his first in 2005 and No Time To Die his last in 2021.
It comes after Cillian paid a heartfelt tribute to his wife and sons when he won the BAFTA for Best Actor for his role in Oppenheimer last month.
The actor has received much praise for his leading role in blockbuster Oppenheimer and is the big favorite to win Best Actor at the Oscars on Sunday.
The star, who plays the title role in Christopher Nolan’s atomic bomb saga, accepted the award at the star-studded ceremony at London’s Royal Festival Hall.
Presented with Cate Blanchett’s trophy he paid tribute to 20-year-old wife Yvonne McGuinness and sons Malachy, 18, and Aran, 16, who is also an actor.
He said: ‘To Yvonne, Malachy and Aran you are my best friend and I love you so much’.
Cillian triumphed over Bradley Cooper for Maestro, Colman Domingo for Rustin, Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers, Barry Keoghan for Saltburn and Teo Yoo for Past Lives.
He accepted the trophy and said: ‘Oh boy, holy moly, thank you so much BAFTA.’
It comes after Cillian paid a heartfelt tribute to his wife and sons when he won the BAFTA for Best Actor for his role in Oppenheimer last month.
The Irish actor accepted the award at the star-studded ceremony at London’s Royal Festival Hall (pictured with wife Yvonne McGuinness in 2006)
He also paid tribute to “the most dynamic, friendliest producer-director partnership in Hollywood: Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas, thank you for seeing something in me that I probably didn’t see in myself.”
Cillian told Nolan: “Thank you for always pushing me and demanding excellence because that is what you deliver time and time again.”
He also acknowledged his “fellow nominees and my Oppenhomies,” adding, “I know it’s a cliche to say, but I’m in awe of you.”
Cillian described J Robert Oppenheimer, known as the father of the atomic bomb, as a “colossal gnarled character” and added: “We have a space to debate, interrogate and explore that complexity and it is a privilege to be part to create this community with all of you.’
