Next James Bond Screen Tests Begin: Who Is in the Mix

The hunt for the next James Bond has hit its final lap, and the internet is already picking sides. Several actors are reportedly in London this weekend for the last round of screen tests, according to The Guardian, with Amazon MGM Studios still keeping quiet about who is in the room.

Whoever lands the job will take over from Daniel Craig, who last played the spy in 2021. The new film is expected in cinemas in 2028, and the casting call is the biggest guessing game in movies right now.

Who Is Testing for the Next James Bond

Reports vary, but three names keep surfacing. The BBC says Callum Turner, Jack Lowden and Josh O'Connor are among the actors thought to be taking part, according to the BBC. Between three and five finalists are understood to have reached the last stage.

Deadline reported that at least four final screen test offers have been made, and that three of them went to Lowden, Turner and O'Connor. The fourth actor has not been identified. Variety suggested that Lowden, known for Slow Horses, may now be edging ahead of the pack.

Some rumoured names appear to be out. The Hollywood Reporter said Jack O'Connell and Jacob Elordi are not testing, according to The Guardian, even though earlier chatter pushed both of them. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, James Norton and Paul Mescal were also connected to the role at various points, the BBC notes.

What the Screen Test Actually Involves

This is not a casual chat in a room. The tests reportedly have three parts: stunts, camera presence and dialogue. The BBC adds that Bond screen tests are elaborate affairs, with hair and make-up, costumes, sets and other actors all brought in.

It has been more than twenty years since the last full screen test for the part. Back then, future Superman Henry Cavill was a finalist before the job went to Craig, who debuted in Casino Royale in 2006. Cavill later said he was told it came down to him and Craig, and that he was the younger option.

Unlike most casting races, this one has dragged on for months. Deadline reported that the tests were meant to happen in early October but were delayed by scheduling conflicts. There is also no firm timeline for a final decision, even after the tests wrap next week.

The Team Behind the Next James Bond Film

The project has serious firepower behind it. Dune director Denis Villeneuve is set to direct, and Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is writing the script, according to the BBC. Knight said in September that the first draft was finished and that he was loving the work.

Amazon MGM Studios now controls the franchise after buying MGM for roughly eight and a half billion dollars, and The Guardian reports the company paid more than one billion dollars to take creative control from the Broccoli family. Producer Amy Pascal has said the end of the year is a good bet for news, adding that following Craig is a hard act and that the process is methodical.

Villeneuve himself is a self-described diehard Bond fan. He told Empire that he wanted a very powerful rocket to pull him away from the Dune universe, and the spy franchise is that rocket. His Dune sequel premieres this December, so fans will see his latest work before the Bond news lands.

Why Gen Z Cares About the Next 007

Bond used to feel like a dad franchise. Now it is a fandom battleground, and the casting is the main event. The BBC points out that some fans have even joked that Turner's wife, pop star Dua Lipa, could sing the theme song, which shows how fast the memes arrive.

Bookmakers have an opinion too. Lowden, aged thirty-six, was the favourite at four to six with William Hill, according to The Independent. Lowden, Turner and O'Connor are all thirty-six, an odd coincidence that Yahoo highlighted this weekend.

Only six actors have ever played Ian Fleming's agent in the official films: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Craig. Adding a seventh is a rare event, and the pick will signal what kind of Bond the studio thinks a new generation wants. For more entertainment headlines, check the movies section and the music section.

Reports have floated an announcement anywhere from the last week of October to the end of the year. Until Amazon makes it official, treat every leak as rumour, and keep the popcorn ready for the moment the next James Bond is finally named.