The search for the next James Bond appears to be reaching its final screen-test stage, with actors Callum Turner and Jack Lowden among the reported contenders — but no new 007 has been announced.
“I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come,” director Denis Villeneuve promised in Amazon MGM Studios’ June 2025 announcement of his appointment, setting out the responsibility awaiting whoever eventually wears the tuxedo.
Now the casting process may be getting closer to an answer. Variety reported last week that final screen tests could begin as early as Friday and continue over the following week, citing sources familiar with the search.
The outlet identified Turner and Lowden as actors who appear to be in the mix, while stressing that the testing lineup remained uncertain. Representatives for both actors and Amazon MGM did not immediately respond to Variety’s requests for comment.
That distinction matters: being mentioned for a screen test is not the same thing as landing the part. Neither actor has been officially introduced as Daniel Craig’s successor, and the reports do not establish a winner.
There are a few more details about what the final stretch might involve. The Hollywood Reporter placed the tests in London over the weekend and reported that the process would examine stunts, camera presence and dialogue.
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Those are three rather different demands for one role: an actor has to handle the action, hold the camera and make the conversation work. The outlet said the exact lineup remained unclear, with its sources describing a group ranging from at least three actors to as many as five.
Turner recently starred in ONE NIGHT ONLY, while viewers of SLOW HORSES know Lowden from that series. Both were named in the Hollywood Reporter’s account, though Amazon did not confirm either man’s participation.
Deadline added actor Josh O’Connor to the names its insiders expected to test, explicitly describing that information as unconfirmed. It reported at least four test offers and said scheduling conflicts had pushed the auditions back from earlier in October.
The accounts therefore point in the same general direction without supplying an official shortlist. O’Connor’s reported involvement should not be mistaken for a studio announcement, either.
As for when fans will finally hear a name, patience is still part of the assignment. Variety and Deadline both described expectations of a decision before the end of the year, but neither reported an officially announced timetable.
What is confirmed is the creative team already entrusted with Bond’s return. Amazon named Villeneuve as director, Amy Pascal and David Heyman as producers and Tanya Lapointe as executive producer in its June 2025 announcement.
The studio also said its new joint venture with Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson closed in March 2025, giving Amazon MGM creative control of the Bond intellectual property rights. Choosing the lead actor is a major next step in that new chapter, not proof that the whole production is ready to go.
For now, the news is a reported move toward final auditions — not a casting reveal. Until Amazon makes that introduction, fans can weigh the possibilities without confusing the latest names with the next James Bond.
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