A shortlist goes in front of the cameras
A narrow field of actors is expected to appear before cameras in London this weekend as the search for the next James Bond moves into screen testing, according to reports carried by the Hollywood Reporter and Variety that cited multiple sources. Callum Turner and Jack Lowden, known for the series Slow Horses, are among the names said to be involved. The reported tests are built around three components: stunt work, how an actor reads on camera, and dialogue. Accounts differ on the size of the shortlist, putting it at somewhere between three and five finalists.[S1][S4][S5][S6][S7][S8]
The Hollywood Reporter reported that Jack O'Connell, who appeared in Sinners, and Jacob Elordi, who stars in Wuthering Heights, are not taking part in the tests, despite speculation linking them to the part. The role has been open since Daniel Craig stepped away following No Time to Die in 2021. It has been more than two decades since the franchise last held a full screen test; Henry Cavill, later cast as Superman, was reported to be a finalist at that time, and the part went to Craig, whose first outing came in Casino Royale in 2006.[S1]
Amazon MGM keeps its casting plans private
Amazon MGM Studios, which acquired the Bond rights in a 2022 deal valued at $8.45bn, has neither confirmed nor denied the reports. The company pointed the Hollywood Reporter back to an earlier statement in which it said the search was under way and that it would not discuss casting details while the process continued, adding that it looked forward to sharing news with 007 fans at the appropriate moment. The studio paid more than $1bn last year to take creative control from the Broccoli family.[S1]
Earlier this year, Amazon film executives asked fans for patience while the decision was being made. Courtenay Valenti, the company's head of film, acknowledged that audiences were eager to learn who would play Bond and said the studio was proceeding carefully and with respect, describing the next chapter as a responsibility the team did not treat lightly.[S1]
Villeneuve and Knight take the creative lead
Denis Villeneuve, the film-maker behind Dune, is set to direct the next Bond installment, and Steven Knight, the writer behind Peaky Blinders, will write the script. Villeneuve has described himself as a longtime Bond fan and said the chance to contribute to the franchise was what pulled him away from the Dune series, which had occupied much of the past decade of his career. He told Empire that he wanted to approach the material rigorously rather than complacently, and that after finishing Dune: Messiah, due in December, he needed a demanding new project, which he found in Bond.[S1]
What comes next
Interest in who will play Bond has intensified since Villeneuve was announced as director in 2025. Reports still place the movie's arrival in 2028. Nothing has been confirmed about casting, and the studio has offered no schedule, saying only that it will announce developments once it considers the timing appropriate.[S1][S2][S3]
