The actor who will play the next James Bond is still expected to be officially unveiled before the end of this year, but a new report from The Sun (via ActioNewz.com) claims to have identified the new 007.
According to the British tabloid, Challengers star Josh O'Connor has landed the coveted role. The "news" comes from one of his theatre co-stars who recently starred alongside him in Golden Boy at London's Almeida Theatre.
This "loose-lipped" cast member reportedly learned of O'Connor's casting during "a quiet night out at a pub in London's Soho late on Wednesday night," where "Josh confessed to getting the Bond role." Needless to say, this is all pretty hard to believe.
Still, the supposed source claimed, "I bumped into one of Josh’s Golden Boy cast mates at The French House. They were recognised by a lot of people who asked for selfies, and we got chatting in a corner completely by accident. Out of nowhere, and oiled by a few glasses of lager, they blurted out that Josh was the next James Bond. I said it was pure speculation, but they were insistent it was Josh.
“They said that he had confided in them about getting the role when the cast of Golden Boy had celebratory drinks after the play finished its run on Halloween," they continued. "I was staggered that this person was being so open about it all. But they were clearly very proud of Josh and what getting the role of Bond would mean for his career."
Slow Horses star Jack Lowden and Masters Of The Air actor Callum Turner are thought to be among the other Bond frontrunners, with the latter named as a favourite for the role earlier this week. Screen tests took place last month, so Amazon MGM Studios has likely made its decision by now.
O'Connor, who also counts The Crown, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery and Disclosure Day among his impressive list of credits, recently broke his silence on the James Bond 26 casting rumours when he said, "To be considered in that same sort of bracket is extraordinary."
He added, "It’s an incredibly bizarre pinch- me moment, even being uttered in that same sentence and being considered for something like that. But I am afraid there is nothing to say beyond that."
Nina Gold (Game of Thrones) has been tapped as casting director, with Denis Villeneuve (Dune) set to direct the movie from a script by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders). David Heyman and Amy Pascal are the franchise's new producers, taking over from Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson after they stepped aside.
A release date has not been announced for James Bond 26, but shooting is expected to begin next year.