The seemingly endless search for the next James Bond may finally be narrowing down. According to Page Six, Amazon MGM Studios and director Denis Villeneuve are preparing to screen-test a small group of actors in early September, with Jack Barton, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal, Callum Turner, Jack Lowden, and Harris Dickinson all said to be in the mix.
That list largely tracks with where the Bond rumor mill has been heading lately. Turner has consistently emerged as one of the strongest names in the conversation, while Lowden has gained considerable momentum in recent weeks. In fact, The Playlist reported earlier this week that Lowden was being “strongly considered,” making his inclusion here considerably less surprising.
Page Six also identifies Barton as something of a surprise contender. The relatively lesser-known actor, whose credits include “SAS: Rogue Heroes,” “Heartstopper,” and a small role in “Poor Things,” is reportedly among the names Villeneuve and casting director Nina Gold have been looking at as they scour the U.K. for potential 007s. According to the report, Barton has emerged as a particularly strong possibility among the less-established actors under consideration.
Beyond the relatively unknown Barton, several much more established young actors remain in contention. Jacob Elordi, best known for “Euphoria,” “Priscilla,” and “Saltburn,” has become one of Hollywood’s most in-demand leading men, while Paul Mescal broke out with “Normal People” and his Oscar-nominated performance in “Aftersun” before making the leap to blockbuster territory with “Gladiator II.” Harris Dickinson, meanwhile, has built an eclectic résumé spanning “Triangle of Sadness,” “The Iron Claw,” “Babygirl,” and Steve McQueen’s “Blitz.”
Elordi, Mescal, Turner, Lowden, and Dickinson represent the more familiar side of the search. All five have been floated at various points as plausible successors to Daniel Craig, though with differing levels of intensity. Turner and Lowden appear to have the most sustained recent momentum, while Elordi and Dickinson have remained recurring names and Mescal continues to surface in the broader conversation.
One additional name we continue to hear is very much in the mix: Jack O’Connell. The “Sinners” and “28 Years Later” actor is not among the six names cited by Page Six, but his name has continued to come up around the search, suggesting the field may be somewhat wider—or more fluid—than any single report can capture at this stage.
Truthfully, we’ve heard it’s down to three names actually: Jack Barton, Lowden, and either O’Connell or Turner, but who knows, lots of names are flying around fast at the moment. And honestly, Barton being an unknown feels like that gives him an edge with someone like Denis Villeneuve, but we shall see.
One formerly ubiquitous candidate, meanwhile, appears to have faded from contention: Aaron Taylor-Johnson. The actor seemed to be one of the earliest serious candidates to succeed Craig and was at one point the subject of near-constant Bond reports, but his name has gradually fallen out of the conversation as the search has evolved.
Whoever ultimately lands the role will inherit a franchise undergoing its biggest creative transition in decades. Amazon MGM assumed creative control of Bond from the Broccoli family last year, with Villeneuve subsequently signing on to direct and “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight tapped to write the screenplay. Amy Pascal and David Heyman are producing.
For now, none of the actors have officially been cast, and until Amazon MGM makes its choice public, the usual Bond caveats apply. But with Page Six reporting imminent screen tests for Barton, Elordi, Mescal, Turner, Lowden, and Dickinson—and O’Connell, another name that continues to circulate—the field finally appears to be taking recognizable shape after years of speculation.
