For years the question of who would be the next James Bond has drifted between rumor and wishful thinking. This weekend, in London, it moves in front of a camera. Screen tests for the role are under way, and the names being spoken in the corridors of the business are Callum Turner and Jack Lowden.
The Hollywood Reporter says both men are among the finalists. Its sources told it the tests could begin as early as Friday and have three parts: stunts, camera presence and dialogue. At least three actors are involved, though one source put the number as high as five. Amazon MGM Studios would not discuss details. It pointed back to an earlier statement that the search is underway and that it will share news with fans “as soon as the time is right.”
Who is in, and who is out
Deadline offered a third name. It reported that Amazon MGM and director Denis Villeneuve extended at least four offers to try out for the part, and that insiders named Lowden, Turner and Josh O’Connor. O’Connor, whom audiences know from Challengers and Disclosure Day, has barely figured in the Bond rumor mill, so his appearance on the list is the surprise. The Hollywood Reporter did not list him among the finalists it had heard about, which suggests the field is still not fully known.
The same outlet said Jacob Elordi, the Euphoria and Frankenstein star, will not test. Nor, apparently, will Jack O’Connell of Sinners, who was rumored early on. Jack Barton, Paul Mescal and Harris Dickinson have all been mentioned in past speculation, and with several slots open they could still turn up. Deadline said the final auditions will run over the coming week, with an official announcement not expected before the end of the year.
A new house, a new director
What is at stake is more than one actor’s career. Amazon MGM bought the creative rights from the Broccoli family in February 2025, and this film will start the studio’s reboot of the franchise. Amy Pascal and David Heyman produce and oversee the series. Villeneuve, who made the Dune films, directs a script by Steven Knight, and he plans to make only one Bond picture before moving on. It follows his Dune: Part Three, due in December.
The first round of auditions took place in August, led by casting director Nina Gold with Pascal, Heyman and Villeneuve. Since then the list has been cut down to the present group.
The question of age
CinemaBlend noted that Turner and Lowden are both 36. That is close to Daniel Craig, who was 38 when he made Casino Royale in 2006, and younger than Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan, who were 43, or Timothy Dalton at 41. Sean Connery was 32. The site drew a conclusion from this: if these two lead the field, a Bond origin story set in the Navy, which would call for someone much younger, may not be the plan.
Tests have changed since Craig’s day. Twenty years ago, candidates were filmed with full hair and makeup and a complete camera and sound crew on a set. Henry Cavill was among those who tried for the role then, before Craig won it and played Bond until No Time to Die in 2021.
Sources
- James Bond Screen Tests to Happen This Weekend: Finalists Emerge for Next 007 Movie
- Jack Lowden, Callum Turner, & Josh O’Connor Among James Bond Finalists; Screen Tests Start This Weekend
- I'm Pumped Some Of Those Bond Rumors Proved True, But What Does That Mean For 007's Age?
Photo: Harald Krichel (CC BY-SA 4.0)
