The hunt for the next James Bond has reached its final stage. Final screen tests for Amazon MGM Studios' reboot of 007 are expected to begin on Friday, October 23, with at least four actors reportedly offered test slots over the coming week, according to Deadline.
Three names are circulating as the leading contenders. The Hollywood Reporter reports that Jack Lowden, star of Slow Horses, and Callum Turner, known for Masters of the Air, are in the mix, while Deadline adds that Josh O'Connor, the Emmy winner from The Crown and co-star of Challengers, will also test. A fourth name remains unidentified, and Amazon MGM has declined to comment on the reports.
Notably absent from the finalist list are two long-rumored names: Euphoria's Jacob Elordi and Sinners star Jack O'Connell are not testing, according to THR. The tests were originally planned for earlier in October but were pushed back due to scheduling conflicts among the finalists.
Denis Villeneuve is directing the film, with producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman and a screenplay by Steven Knight. Producer Pascal has previously said a casting announcement by the end of 2026 is "a good bet," though there is no official timeline for a decision, and the earliest the film could reach cinemas is 2028.
Whoever wins the role will become the first Bond of the Amazon MGM era and the successor to Daniel Craig, who closed out his five-film run with No Time to Die in 2021. With tests stretching into next week, expect the reporting to sharpen — but the official announcement is the one that will settle it.