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Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

Lewis Hamilton is leaving a huge vacuum to fill at Mercedes as he moves to Ferrari in 2025. While many experts and fans are still digesting this fact, there have been many speculations on who shall replace him. Around the same, The Race posted a community poll on their YouTube channel to ask fans’ opinions on who should replace Hamilton at the Brackley outfit. And the fans delivered a unanimous verdict.

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At the time of writing, about 109k fans have voted on the poll by The Race. 43% suggest that Carlos Sainz should get the vacant Mercedes seat for 2025. After Sainz, 32% feel Fernando Alonso is the correct choice that the German team should secure for replacing Hamilton.

Meanwhile, 15% chose other drivers, which includes the likes of Alex Albon, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and Mick Schumacher. Strangely, The Race also had put Daniel Ricciardo as a third option besides Alonso and Sainz, and he also got 10% of the votes.

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Given the way the Australian has started his 2024 season at Visa Cash App RB, he may seem like an afterthought as a choice for Mercedes. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz may be the apt replacement and could have a straight swap with Hamilton, who is moving to Ferrari.

The Spaniard’s situation has become tricky, given he got the pink slip from Maranello to make way for the seven-time champion. While Sainz is recovering from appendicitis currently, his performance in the Bahrain GP was nothing short of praiseworthy. The 29-year-old is driving with a point to prove and seems hungry to secure a competitive seat for 2025.

However, he will face competition from his countryman, Fernando Alonso, for the vacancy at Brackley. Alonso is also yet to sign a contract for 2025, with his Aston Martin deal expiring. Meanwhile, Mercedes prodigy Kimi Antonelli is also in contention if he performs well in F2 this year. But, there is an unlikely shock possibility too.

Could Mercedes sign Max Verstappen to replace Lewis Hamilton?

Started as rumors, the possibility of Max Verstappen moving to Mercedes is no longer casual silly season chatter. Amid the turmoil at Red Bull, Verstappen indirectly voiced that he may consider his future at the team if things go out of hand. This was after reports that suggested a possible suspension for Helmut Marko.

While Red Bull have doused that fire, the Dutchman’s willingness to look elsewhere and ditch his dominant current team is a statement and a half. Thus, taking advantage of the chaos at the Milton Keynes team, Mercedes could look to lure him away.

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With the 2026 engine regulations on the brink, Verstappen could be keen to bet on Mercedes’ long-term prospects. For now, the three-time champion seems fine to stay at Red Bull. However, Wolff is not ruling out this surprising move just as yet even though he has some other bold options.

Promoting Kimi Antonelli as early as 2025 will be one of those bold calls. With Antonelli only 17 and about to turn 18 next year, it will be a huge risk if Wolff gives him the drive.

Still, with more experienced drivers like Alonso and Sainz available, Wolff is not looking to make a hasty decision. The Austrian assured that they will assess all their options and choose the best possible driver. Wolff mentioned that he would decide on Lewis Hamilton’s replacement in the latter half of the season, seeing how the driver market develops.

Credits: IMAGO Motorsport Images

Jacques Villeneuve posts that George Russell delivered a resounding “wake-up call” to Lewis Hamilton, disrupting a prolonged period of ease alongside Valtteri Bottas. Villeneuve further suggests that Russell’s presence has to do with Hamilton chasing a feeling of youth at Ferrari.

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Entering his third season as a teammate with Russell, Hamilton navigates a new dynamic following Bottas’ departure from Mercedes in 2022. During their tenure, Mercedes dominated the F1 scene; however, despite Bottas’ consistent support, Hamilton reigned supreme with four Drivers’ titles after 2016, leaving his teammate unable to mount a serious championship challenge.

Russell’s arrival coincided with the onset of F1’s ground effect era, and Mercedes’ decline from the summit. Russell made a mark in his first year in Silver and Hamilton staged a comeback in 2023, but now Russell has emerged as the stronger Mercedes driver at the onset of the 2024 season.

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In an exclusive conversation with GPFans, Jacques Villeneuve characterizes Russell’s presence in the team as a much-needed “wake-up call” for Hamilton, who recently announced his move to Ferrari. “It’s hard for a driver when you’ve spent years winning, and some years easy winning, especially when you had Bottas as a team-mate. He was alone in the championship, basically. He didn’t even need to be at his best to win like he had to do in his first championship.”

Villeneuve continued, “Now, going to Ferrari might be like that little shock that you get… to give him that ‘youth’ attitude.”

Is Lewis Hamilton chasing the fountain of youth at Ferrari?

Looking at Villenueve’s statement from a different perspective, Hamilton did say racing in Red was a childhood dream. His aspiration to drive for Ferrari traces back to his formative years, when he immersed himself in the F1 video games, emulating the legendary Michael Schumacher.

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In a reflective Instagram post earlier last month, Hamilton confessed to harboring a childhood dream, a sentiment he expanded on by saying, “I think probably all of us sit in our garage and see the screen pop up, and you see the driver in the red cockpit, and you wonder what it might be like to be surrounded by the red.” Whether it’s youth or not, Hamilton is going back to playing his F1 game, this time for real.

With Ferrari’s last drivers’ championship secured by Kimi Raikkonen in 2007, and its zenith of success intertwined with the Michael Schumacher era, the Scuderia’s recent endeavors have been characterized by a struggle to reclaim former glory.

And Lewis Hamilton brings that to the table. Having tasted success with Mercedes and reaching the peak, it’s time to chase new heights. Whether that means a championship in the future or not, Hamilton has taken on a new challenge that could possibly take Ferrari where they want to be.

Further, the 39-year-old has proved that age is no measure in the world of F1. There is no timer on his career, not for Hamilton, who is far from finished with rocking the world he created.

Credits: IMAGO Motorsport Images

The 2021 Abu Dhabi GP was arguably one of the best races of all time as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton battled each other out to win the championship on the final lap. Hamilton was in the lead until the final lap and looked comfortable to take the win. However, some controversial decisions from the stewards gave Verstappen a massive advantage, and the Dutchman took that with both hands to claim the all-important victory. Because of the way the 2021 title finale ended, several fans and experts have labeled that race as the biggest sporting scandal of all time. Now, former Ferrari manager Peter Windsor is the latest to comment on what transpired back then. The Australian journalist wants the case to be reopened so that Lewis Hamilton can receive closure.

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While speaking on his YouTube Channel, Windsor said, “I think Abu Dhabi 21 needs to be reopened. And there needs to be a proper closure which goes to a proper court where a proper legal decision is taken on whether or not there was a right result.”

Additionally, Windsor stated that since it’s already too late, he doesn’t want the decision to be changed. Instead, he believes that the legal route will bring the matter to a conclusion. Following that, Windsor claimed that other things too had also gone wrong in the past.

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Windsor referred to the marshaling and stewards’ judgment as an example. Subsequently, the former Ferrari manager also mentioned Max Moosley’s period, stating that he could recall an incident in Brazil when there was no final verdict.

While explaining the situation, Windsor said that Williams and a few other teams were found cooling the fuel below the allowed temperature. However, the officials at that time took no serious steps and overlooked this offense, claiming it as ‘inadmissible.’

How Windsor’s comments regarding the Abu Dhabi GP relate to Massa’s current situation?

Felipe Massa has recently launched a lawsuit against the FIA, F1, and Bernie Ecclestone with the hope of overturning the results of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, which featured the infamous Crashgate scandal. If the results of that race are indeed overturned, the Brazilian will win the title from Lewis Hamilton.

However, an in-depth analysis of his case reveals some parallels with the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix controversy. Like Peter Windsor, who recently demanded that the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP case undergo review to come to a definitive conclusion and not modify the ruling, Massa has also filed a new complaint to seek a similar outcome.

The Brazilian is now pursuing monetary compensation for the damages he sustained because of the incident. According to Autosport, that payment can total up to $81.7 million.

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Nevertheless, Massa’s recent demand is a sharp shift from his previous position. Before this, the 2008 runner-up had asked the FIA to declare that it had violated its own rules. Furthermore, he wanted the governing body to acknowledge that he should have won the 2008 title if they had not broken any of those rules.

Credits: IMAGO / Andreas Beil and IMAGO / HochZwei |
L: Guenther Steiner R: Oliver Bearman

Oliver Bearman stole the headlines with his excellent debut at the Saudi Arabian GP. On a tough track like Jeddah, Bearman was quite impressive in handling the Ferrari SF-24 and brought home a P7 finish. He did all this on short notice as he got into the car only before FP3. Even Guenther Steiner commended the 18-year-old’s debut performance, praising his “calmness” and citing that the young Briton has a good future in F1. The former Haas boss then even went on to vouch that the F2 sensation is ready and that he would give him a race seat right away.

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In his new column on the official F1 website, Steiner said, “Based on his performance in Jeddah, after what I saw from him, I’d put him in a race seat. Obviously, it depends on the circumstances and what seats are available. You need to see the whole landscape, but he would be a candidate.”

Bearman‘s debut in Jeddah has made him a stronger contender for a 2025 F1 drive. Previously, many touted the Briton to be a good option for Haas next year. After his stand-in performance for Ferrari, these voices have only gotten stronger. However, Steiner feels they could fasten things up and finalize the Briton’s 2025 contract.

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Bearman became the talk of the town after scoring points on debut and proving his mettle in Saudi Arabia. Many drivers, including Charles Leclerc, cited that it’s just a matter of time before the F2 driver makes his way to the pinnacle of motorsport.

While the ex-Haas boss is vouching for Bearman to make a step up to F1 as soon as possible, not long did he oppose bringing in rookies. Back then, the American-Italian mentioned how taking a rookie is “risky business” for a team like Haas.

Oliver Bearman has turned the tide for young drivers in F1

In 2023, F1 teams were quite averse to onboarding and betting on young talent coming from the junior formulas. As a result, teams like Haas, AlphaTauri (now Visa Cash App RB), Williams, and, Sauber retained their original lineups for this season.

However, the notion surrounding rookies now seems to be changing following the recent strong performances of Oliver Bearman and Liam Lawson. Although Lawson drove a few races for AlphaTauri last season and impressed many people, he still did not get a full-time seat and is still a reserve driver for the team.

However, Lawson’s performances did put some doubts as to why the Kiwi and some of his peers are not getting a chance, even if they deserve it. Now, Bearman’s debut in 2024 has succinctly solidified the notion that these talented drivers from F2 deserve a shot in F1.

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This also kickstarted a discussion among F1 forums as to which experienced drivers should make way for these young rookies. Especially teams from the lower half of the grid can perhaps take the risk by signing someone like Lawson or a Bearman to bring some much-needed spark of young dynamism to the F1 grid.

This year’s F2 grid is also oozing with several rookie drivers keen to make an impression. Andrea Kimi Antonelli has already started making headlines as a bold replacement for the outgoing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.

Meanwhile, Oliver Bearman would certainly be on many teams’ radar now, besides Haas. Liam Lawson too would certainly want to secure a drive after missing out in 2024. Meanwhile, F2 champions Felipe Drugovich and Theo Pourchaire may also want to take advantage of a chaotic silly season to get their shot.

Dylan Cease joined the San Diego Padres on Wednesday through a trade from the Chicago White Sox.

Xander Bogaerts (L) and Dylan Cease (R) [Image via Imago]

The MLB world is currently buzzing with the upcoming Seoul Series. The two game showdown between National League West teams, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will kick off the new season. However, there was one player in Dylan Cease who arrived to South Korea way after everyone had already landed.

The right-hander joined the Padres through a trade from the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. However, by the time he joined, the team’s plane had already taken off for the Asian country.

As a result of this, he had to travel alone across the Pacific Ocean. Despite this there were some who still had not meet him until Saturday afternoon including Xander Bogaerts who trolled him for it. The now second baseman of the Padres claimed he had not come across him the whole day.

I haven't seen him yet.

Xander Bogaerts on Dylan Cease’s absence from the training camp via MLB.com.
It was not until the middle of the day when the 28-year-old pitcher joined the team camp in Seoul. His efforts to travel alone paid off as manager Mike Schmidt informed that he would take to the mound in Padres’ second exhibition game on Monday.

Related: Which team will Blake Snell end up with in 2024? Exploring the options for the reigning NL Cy Young winner

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullu takes hilarious swipe at Dylan Cease joining Padres

The trade of Dylan Cease on Wednesday brought out several emotional reactions from fans. While the supporters of the San Diego Padres were beaming with joy, the Yankee faithful were cursing their luck for missing another pitcher option. And then there were some including Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo who were not happy with this trade.
I wish the best players would quit coming to the NL West.

Torey Lovullo’s on Dylan Cease coming to NL West through a press conference.

This offseason, the NL West has seen a huge number of stars come to them with the Dodgers being one of the heavy spenders. Another reason why Lovullo might not want the best players to come to the NL West is because they themselves play in that division and are seemingly unhappy to see the big names join their division rivals.

This though does not mean that the Diamondbacks have not signed some big names themselves. During the offseason, the 2023 National League Champions added the experience of Eduardo Rodriguez, Eugenio Suarez, and Joc Pederson in hopes of helping them in trying to replicate the success of last season.

Rising star Jeon Jong-seo enthralls onlookers on her first diamond appearance during the Dodgers vs. Heroes Seoul Series game.

Actress Jeon Jong-seo donning LA Dodgers uniform in first pitch [Image Credit: Instagram/IMDb]

Rising South Korean actress Jeon Jong-seo electrified the Gocheok Sky Dome after taking the diamond for her first pitch. Her perfect game form enthralled onlookers as she successfully threw her first pitch in the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Kiwoom Heroes game in Seoul. The event is part of the MLB Seoul series.

Jong-seo started the highly anticipated exhibition match donning a Dodgers uniform, impressing fans both with her throw and her tight-fitting outfit. She drew unexpected attention, garnering more than 4+ million views on social media platforms. The team’s debut in South Korea ended on a grand note as they won the match 14-3.

Fans on social media commented how the players were also mesmerized by Jeon Jong-seo. They specifically pointed out Freddie Freeman who appeared to walk away amidst a talk between teammates after looking at the diamond. One fan noted on X, “Freeman dipped as soon as he realized what they were talking about 😂,” while another noted, “Dudes being dudes.”

Actress Jeon Jong-seo is a popular actress with many successful acting projects to her name. Some of them are – Money Heist: Korea – Join Economic Area, Ballerina, and Wedding Impossible.

Shohei Ohtani debuts with LA Dodgers in South Korea following Seoul series

Apart from the spotlight being taken away by actress Jeon Jong-seo at the diamond, the MLB world focused on Shohei Ohtani’s performance. The Los Angeles Dodgers star made his debut in South Korea for the first time since his $700 million contract.

Despite the team’s 14-3 win, Ohtani for a brief moment appeared to be in discomfort, adding to the fan’s stress. However, manager Dave Roberts noted that “he’s fine” and has not mentioned any health issues on that note.

This was the Dodgers’ first exhibition match. The team manager further informed that Ohtani will be gearing up against the Korean National Team on Monday. Fans are excited about the upcoming exhibition matches and also getting ready to start the regular season later in the month.

The Dodgers Seoul series gained much attention in the MLB world, thanks to Ohtani, and his shocking news break on his wife Mamiko Tanaka. The team’s spotlight was further ignited by actress Jong-seo’s appearance on the mound. After this exhibition event, the team will prep for the 2024 season, opening against the San Diego Padres.

Henry Cavill’s Rumored Deadpool 3 Appearance Has Fans Frustrated
Henry Cavill | DCEU
Per semi-reliable scooper @CanWeGetToast, the Man of Steel Star, who was rumored to make his MCU debut soon, will play everyone’s favorite Canadian in the Deadpool threequel. However, not everyone is happy with the rumors of Henry Cavill being brought into the MCU to play a variant of Wolverine in the threequel, as it could be a tremendous waste of his potential.

Considering fans have been asking for his arrival in the MCU since his exit from the DC universe, it’s reasonable to see why fans aren’t jovial about having him play a minor part in the Ryan Reynolds-led film.

Taking to Reddit, fans expressed:
“Why waste him on a tiny role”

“He’s exec producer and starring in a Warhammer 40k show. That’ll take up a huge chunk of his time. Might not have time for both, that said, would be dope if he was permanent.”

“Should be Sentry”

“Man’s entire career is based on being wasted on the material.”

“Deadpool is gonna shoot him in the face immediately isn’t he?”

However, keeping in mind that we’re still yet to get Earth-616’s Logan, the MOS Star might become MCU’s Wolverine moving forward if the aforementioned rumors are true.
Deadpool & Wolverine
Henry Cavill Would’ve Loved to Play Captain Britain

Interestingly, similar to fan sentiments, who expressed that Cavill would be perfect to play Captain Britain in the MCU, the Argylle Star once expressed he’d be down to play the character. While the actor stressed he wasn’t interested in playing a Marvel character that someone has played before,  the actor did entertain the rumors of playing Captain Britain at the time.
Captain Britain | Marvel Comics
He told The Hollywood Reporter:
“I’m never going to say a Marvel character that is already being played by someone else because everyone’s doing such an amazing job. However, I have the internet and I have seen the various rumors about Captain Britain and that would be loads of fun to do a cool, modernized version of that – like the way they modernized Captain America. There’s something fun about that, and I do love being British.”
If the rumor of his appearance is true, it seems Ryan Reynolds might’ve made an offer to Cavill he couldn’t refuse, which isn’t unlikely, as he also got Brad Pitt to appear in the sequel back in 2018.

Deadpool & Wolverine will hit theatres on 26 July 2024.

Henry Cavill, star of Netflix’s The Witcher and the DCU’s Superman, found Ben Affleck to be intimidating while they made their superhero movies together.

Given that he’s starred as both Superman and Geralt of Rivia, you’d imagine that Henry Cavill is a pretty tough guy to intimidate. But, one man who succeeded in making Henry Cavill doubt himself was his DCU co-star, Ben Affleck.

Cavill and Affleck worked as colleagues and co-stars on Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman in 2016, and its 2017 sequel Justice League. The two films might not be the best movies that either Cavill or Affleck have starred in, but one thing is undeniable: the two actors were both pretty great in their roles.

Cavill was a Superman ripped straight from the pages of a comic book, and Affleck is genuinely underrated as Batman. In fact, we even think he might be the best Bruce Wayne. Part of what made the pair so suited to the best DC characters is their physicality: they look like superheroes, and both worked out a lot to get into the biggest possible shape for the role. The only problem for Cavill was that Batffleck was bigger.

“Like most things in life, you put yourself at a certain level, and I thought I was in good shape going into that film. Then I met Ben Affleck. What struck me first was how funny he was, but man was he ripped as well. I’ve never been the type of guy to get involved in any sort of macho one-upmanship, but I admit I was more than a bit intimidated,” explained Cavill, speaking to Healthy For Men magazine in 2020 (via ComicBookMovie).

He said, “The guy is huge. I’m puny by comparison. He is much bigger than I expected, this huge presence and vast physicality. I had to step it up. When you see this mountain of a man walking around set, you think, ‘I’ve got to get to the gym… yesterday’.”

It seems almost impossible to believe that Henry Cavill, a man known for his giant-like size, found Affleck’s presence confronting. Cavill’s description of the size disparity between him and Affleck doesn’t necessarily translate to the screen, though that could partly be down to Affleck’s physique mostly being hidden under his hulking Batman suit.

Either way, next time you see a picture of Cavill and are stunned by his size, know that it’s Ben Affleck who pushed him to get there.

For more on Henry Cavill, you can read out feature on why he’ll be missed now that he’s gone from The Witcher. Speaking of which, you can also keep up with the status of The Witcher season 4 release date, and see our picks for the three characters he could play in his upcoming 40K series.

Alternatively, stick with the DCU by seeing our guide on the best way to watch the DC movies in order, and get the lowdown on the best DC villains.

Hollywood insider is 100% sure that Henry Cavill and Ryan Gosling will join the MCU.

A popular industry insider has doubled down on rumors about actors Henry Cavill and Ryan Gosling joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For a while now, Cavill has been rumored to join the MCU as Captain Britain. However, the same industry insider hinted that Cavill’s role is entirely different and it is bound to shock many fans.

Ryan Gosling in Barbie

Just like Cavill, Gosling has also been linked to the MCU for a while now. In 2022, Gosling stated that he was interested in playing the role of Johnny Blaze / Ghost Rider, previously portrayed by Nicolas Cage. Shortly after this, MCU head Kevin Feige acknowledged Gosling’s statement, claiming that he would love to make a place for him in the MCU. As time passed, rumors about him joining the franchise grew stronger and now, it might finally happen.

Famous industry insider is sure that Henry Cavill and Ryan Gosling will join the MCU

Henry Cavill as Superman | Source: Man of Steel

A Hollywood insider who goes by the name MyTimeToShineHello on X, recently announced in a post that actor Ryan Gosling has bagged the role in the MCU. However, X’s community note opposed the claims. As a result, MyTimeToShineHello challenged the community notes, stating that they “will see soon,” and asked the fans to vote the note as unhelpful.

While on the topic, the insider also confirmed actor Henry Cavill‘s casting. Many media outlets have claimed that Cavill has been reportedly approached for the role of Captain Britain in the MCU. Some major changes are coming to the MCU, particularly because of actor Jonathan Majors’ controversy, so fans are positive that some new faces will join the franchise.

Fans choose POC James Bond over Henry Cavill and Tom Hardy in a surprising outcome.

Daniel Craig Has Finished His Time With James Bond

So, everyone knows that Daniel Craig’s time as James Bond is up. We’ve all enjoyed his stint as 007, but now it’s time to bid him farewell. Now there’s a big question lingering around: Who’s next in line to fill those iconic shoes?

The 56-year-old once said he’d rather do anything than play Bond again, but hey, never say never, right? But as things look now, No Time To Die really was his swan song.

Daniel Craig in No Time to Die

In an interview back in April 2020, Craig made it crystal clear that he was done with Bond for good. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, he explained why he wanted to kill his character, He said,

“Two things, one for myself and one for the franchise. I was like, Well, you need to reset again. So let’s kill my character off and go find another Bond and go find another story. Start at [age] 23, start at 25, start at 30. The other was so that I could move on. I don’t want to go back.”

Looks like he’s ready to move on to new adventures. Throughout his Bond tenure, Craig brought a gritty edge to the character, giving him a modern twist. But now, he’s ready to pass the torch, suggesting it’s time for a fresh face to take on the role.

But who will it be? Fans are buzzing with speculation, even running their own polls to pick the next 007. And with A-list actors in the mix, it’s anyone’s guess who will nab the coveted role.

Who Will Be The Next James Bond?

Fans are excited as they speculate about who will be the next James Bond. In an interesting twist, a quiz has popped up, helping fans discover which famous 007 they align with.

Idris Elba as Moreau in Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

The latest poll reveals that Idris Elba, known for his role in Luther, snagged one in five votes, beating out contenders like Tom Hardy and Henry Cavill.

The panel game matches fans with their closest Bond counterpart, considering factors like weapon preference and dream car. James Norton, Cillian Murphy, and even Aaron Taylor-Johnson emerged as popular choices among respondents.

However, nearly half of fans admitted they might skip future Bond films if they’re not keen on the next actor. An agent for Lottoland.co.uk, which conducted the survey, noted the nation’s avid interest in the topic. As per The Sun, it was revealed,

“James Bond is a topic that certainly gets the nation talking. There are some really interesting names to make it into the top 20 list, but it’s not a shock to see Idris Elba taking the top spot with his sleek and cool demeanor. Let’s hope the casting agents see this.”

However, with many A-list actors in contention, only time will tell who will fill Bond’s shoes next, but Elba’s action-packed resume certainly makes him a compelling candidate.