Although Daniel Craig's contract includes another James Bond movie after the upcoming 'Spectre,' speculations are rife as to who will be the next Agent 007. Latest rumors claim that 'Homeland' star Damien Lewis is in contention for the prized role, provided the choice is left to the bookies in the U.K.

Christian Today reports that earlier this week, William Hill revealed that they had significantly slashed their odds of 25-1 to 6-4 following speculations and after large bets occurred, pushing Lewis' name onto the top of the list of potential actors for the role of Agent 007. Currently, Lewis is ahead of the other potential Bond competitors, including Idris Elba at 5-2, Tom Hardy at 4-1, Henry Cavill at 5-1, and Michael Fassbender at 7-1.

Recently, Rupert Adams, a spokesman of William Hill told the Daily Telegraph, "This is an unprecedented gamble, as for no apparent reason we have seen bets of up to £200 (about $314) on Damian Lewis being named as the next Bond. This might well be significant."

In fact, speculations related to the next James Bond began when rumors started floating that 'Spectre,' which is scheduled for November 2015 premiere, may possibly be the last time that Daniel Craig will portray Agent 007. Craig ties with Pierce Brosnan, both having played the role in four films each, while Roger Moore and Sean Connery have relatively longer tenures, each playing the character seven times.

Apart from 'Homeland,' the political thriller television series on Showtime, Lewis also starred in the 2014 film 'The Silent Storm.' The executive producers of 'The Silent Storm' include Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, the children of 'Bond' producer Albert Broccoli, and the producers of all the Bond movies since 'Golden Eye,' which was released in 1995. The Telegraph reports that Broccoli became a fan of Lewis since he worked with the actor on the film.

Moreover, Lewis narrated Ian Fleming's 'Diamonds are Forever' audiobook. Recently, he joked that the Scottish heritage of the character, which was a major plot point in 'Skyfall,' has "paved the way perfectly for a red-headed Bond."