The makers of the next James Bond movie are doing their best to keep the identity of the man who will play 007 a secret but a new favorite emerged on Tuesday: English actor Daniel Craig. Just days ahead of an expected official announcement, Craig was named as the first ?blond Bond? in a report in the Daily Mail. The paper said Craig even underwent a screen test wearing a tuxedo and passed with flying colors. British bookmaker William Hill closed wagers on Bond after bettors rushed to back Craig thanks in part to the report.

Hill had taken bets on no less than 39 pretenders for the part, several ?winners? have been named in recent months and media and Bond Web sites have been awash with gossip. At US-based online movie ticket seller Fandango.com, fans gave Craig only a one percent shot at being 007. Englishman Jason Statham, star of ?Transporter 2,? topped the Fandangolist with a 33 percent chance. Dozens of others have been mentioned as possible successors to current Bond Pierce Brosnan, including Britons Clive Owen and Jude Law, Australia?s Hugh Jackman and Croatia?s Goran Visnjic.

Brosnan has said he would be willing to play Bond for a fifth time, and experts believe that Sony, mindful of the Irishman?s box office clout, would welcome him back. But Web sites devoted to all things Bond say producer Barbara Broccoli wants fresh blood.

<B>Bob TOURTELLOTTE</B>