Who should be the next James Bond ?

Of these, Elba. Schoenaerts would make a great Bond but I don't want him type cast as the action guy. He's too good.

I never thought I'd think casting Fassbender in anything was a good idea, but I can see him in this role. I think he could handle the physicality and he'd have the handsomeness & sex appeal covered in the eyes of most people. I don't rate him as much more than passable as an actor, but we're talking James Bond, so that's about all he'd need.

Or alternatively you could just cast Elba, cause he'd be great.

Either way, there's a fair chance I wouldn't watch it. I still haven't watched the last one yet.

They should just kill the franchise after this.

Because no matter who they pick, it won't be good enough/right enough/bold enough/etc for all the media talking heads.

Not really feeling any of those for Bond, even though they're all great actors (apart from Hunnam from what I've seen...)

Idris Elba would've been perfect 10 years ago. He's too damn old to carry the franchise for 15+ years... I definitely think he should be an evil MI6 agent in Craig's final film, so we could see them go up against each other.

Matthias Schoenarts could be the best Bond villain ever so I think it would be a waste to cast him as Bond. There'd be outrage if there'd be anyone but a Brit cast and I'm not sure he can 100% convince in an English accent?

Hunnam is  but likely

Hardy, I like the most of them for the role but he's already going to be so busy, that I can't imagine him wanting to settle in that role for such a big commitment. His career doesn't need it, in fact it might actually hurt it. He would've been absolutely been perfect around 2010-2012 though...

Fassbender isn't the worst choice in the world, probably the best actor of the 5 but I also think he's a bit too villainous and sleazy for the role.

I think they should go with someone a bit lighter and more suave after Daniel Craig so it won't feel like a rehash, Tom Hiddleston was my choice 2-3 years ago and then I saw The Night Manager and changed my mind

There's a rule of thumb when casting an iconic character that the actor should be less famous not to eclipse the role (so of those 5 you've mentioned Hunnam would be the likeliest bet actually...)

I wouldn't be opposed to a younger Bond (keep in mind, he probably wouldn't see him on screen for another 5 years!), someone along the lines of James Norton, Edward Holcroft, Douglas Booth, Jack Reynor. Also Jack Huston, Jamie Bell, Aiden Turner...

Fassbender and Benedict Cumberbatch have long been my picks from amongst well known actors, but with Craig doing one more and then with another gap for the next film they'll both be too old by the time it's time to shoot the one with the new actor. Elba is only a few years younger than Craig so he was never going to follow him in the role regardless.

I don't know why some people keep insisting Hardy should be Bond (probably young people who've never seen any of them besides Craig's). He's not a bad actor but "smooth" is pretty much the last word I'd use to describe him.

Aside from the two guys I mentioned at the beginning I'm beat as to who should play Bond next. They should just go with an unknown like they usually do, the role is too iconic for an established star anyway.

I'm all for Tom Hiddleston right now.

What about Ben Barnes? In some photo shoots he's done that I've seen, he really looks the part . Tall, very suave & cool voice. I could definitely see him pulling off the role of James Bond . Plus he isn't as well known as some of the other choices so that could help too.

Haha nice.  BTW, have you seen him in The Punisher (on Netflix)? Dude was quite good on that show . 

Someone not too famous, that way it's not "distracting."

I would say Tom Cullen or Jamie Bell (though he's way too short for them to go for him).

Dan Stevens

I'm still pulling for Elba. He's English, he's the right age, he's sexy/suave as hell, and he has the right macho temperament for Bond. He's the full package.

I like the suggestions in this thread of Dan Stevens and Ben Barnes.