London
(ANI):
Avatar
star
Sam
Worthington
is
the
hot
favourite
to
play
the
next
James
Bond
as
production
on
the
23rd
film
is
halted.
According
to
bookmaker
William
Hill,
Worthington
should
be
the
next
Bond
if
Craig
does
not
return
to
play
his
third
Bond
role,
reports
the
BBC.
Worthington
is
listed
as
the
5/2
favourite
to
take
on
the
role
of
Ian
Fleming's
iconic
spy.
British
actor
Christian
Bale
and
American
Will
Smith
come
second
equal
at
7/1.
However,
Craig
is
expected
to
return
as
Bond
for
another
movie.
"Due
to
the
continuing
uncertainty
surrounding
the
future
of
MGM,
we
have
suspended
development
on
Bond
23
indefinitely," Bond
producers
Michael
G
Wilson
and
Barbara
Broccoli
said.
Mark
Batey
of
the
Film
Distributors'
Association
said
the
Bond
films
were
'the
backbone
of
British
cinema."
"The
prospect
of
not
having
a
picture
in
next
year's
schedule
obviously
does
raise
eyebrows,"
he
said.