The hunt for the next James Bond is reaching a critical point, and fans may be in for a major surprise when Amazon MGM Studios ultimately announces who will inherit the mantle of 007.
According to Page Six Hollywood's Tatiana Siegel (formerly of Variety and THR), English actor Jack Barton has emerged as the frontrunner for the lead role in Denis Villeneuve's currently untitled Bond 26. However, it's far from a done deal: the studio has scheduled a series of screen tests early next month to make its final selection.
In addition to Barton (Poor Things, SAS: Rogue Heroes), candidates set to screen-test include Jack Lowden (Dunkirk, Slow Horses), Callum Turner (One Night Only, Fantastic Beasts), Jacob Elordi (Euphoria, Frankenstein), Paul Mescal (Normal People, Gladiator II), and Harris Dickinson (Triangle of Sadness, The Iron Claw).
Page Six adds that Amazon MGM prefers a younger actor for the role, with plans for the chosen star to remain in the tuxedo for at least five films over the next decade and beyond. Barton is 31, Mescal and Dickinson are both 30, Lowden and Turner are both 36, and Elordi is the youngest of the group at 29—meaning whoever lands the part will likely stay in the role well into their forties, if not longer.
Additionally, our friends over at Knight Edge Media, have learned that of these six, only Callum Turner and one unknown actor (presumably Barton) is being seriously considered for the license to kill. They also throw one more name into the mix as they've learned that Jack O'Connell (Sinners; 28 Years Later) is also currently in the running for the highly coveted role.
While Amazon MGM is heavily involved in the search, the final decision will be made by a creative committee consisting of director Denis Villeneuve, casting director Nina Gold, screenwriter Steven Knight, and producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman.
During the Spider-Man: Brand New Day press tour last month, Pascal revealed that the new James Bond would likely be announced before the end of the year: "I would say the end of the year is a good bet. We are being really, really methodical. Having worked with Barbara Broccoli at the studio, I mean, Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow. And it’s got to be something really different that is stirring and exciting."
Calling Craig a hard act to follow is an understatement, as his five-film tenure yielded some of the most critically and commercially successful entries in the franchise's history. He debuted in 2006's Casino Royale and reprised the role four times in Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015), and No Time to Die (2021), which marked his final bow as the iconic agent.
While no official release date has been set, Bond 26 is expected to be Denis Villeneuve's next directorial project following the highly anticipated Dune: Part Three, starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, which arrives in theaters on December 18.