From John Cleese corralling idiots in Rat Race to Bertie Wooster betting on the length of church sermons, posh British people absolutely love making silly bets then gathering with other men in three-piece suits to watch the ensuing mayhem and drink sidecars, Pimm’s Cups and To-morrow’ll be of all the year the maddest, merriest day, for I’m to be Queen of May, mother, I’m to be Queen of Mays (that mouthful is a P.G. Wodehouse cocktail from Uncle Fred in the Springtime).
Now the Brits are at it again, frantically betting on who will be the next James Bond after inside sources told The Telegraph that Daniel Craig is “done” with the series.
According to their sources, Daniel Craig turned down a £ 68 million offer to appear in two more James Bond films, £ 30 million more than he’s been paid for the previous four Bond films combined. I’m not clear on the exact exchange rate, but were it converted to U.S. dollars that could probably buy Indiana, maybe Rhode Island too.
"Daniel is done — pure and simple — he told top brass at MGM after Spectre," The Telegraph source said.
Craig infamously told Time Out magazine, “ I'd rather break this glass and slash my wrists,” adding, “ If I did another Bond movie, it would only be for the money." It seems money wasn’t enough.
Betting markets have gone gonzo over the next Bond actor, with bookmaker Ladbrokes currently offering 2-to-5 odds that Tom Hiddleston (High-Rise) will take the role. As the clear frontrunner, Hiddleston has prompted a flurry of gambling, prompting betting shop Coral to suspend betting on Hiddleston after a particularly large wager was staked.
Other hot picks include Tom Hardy (Mad Max: Fury Road) at 4-to-1, Aidan Turner (one of those Hobbit dwarves) at 3-to-1 and Idris Elba (the Internet’s dream Bond) at 9-to-1.
Whether these bets are actually occurring between eccentric lords in smoky clubhouse parlors or not, that’s certainly how I’ll be picturing it.
