The casting process for the new James Bond in the upcoming 007 installment has been underway for the past year, and final screen tests are officially about to begin!
The finalists for the role of James Bond include Jack Lowden (top left), Callum Turner (top right), Josh O’Connor (bottom left) and Jacob Elordi (bottom right).
Deadline reported exclusively today that Amazon MGM Studios will kick off final screen tests for the next James Bond this weekend, with testing expected to wrap up within the coming week. According to sources cited in the report, Amazon has extended at least four screen-test invitations. Three of the confirmed finalists are Jack Lowden (Slow Horses), Callum Turner (Fantastic Beasts franchise), and Emmy winner Josh O'Connor (The Crown)—all three of whom are 36 years old.
Meanwhile, InSneider previously reported that Jack Lowden, Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), and another undisclosed actor would participate in the final screen test. However, The Hollywood Reporter cited sources today clarifying that Jacob Elordi will not be testing, while Callum Turner and Jack Lowden will proceed to the screen-test round. Notably, all three trade reports consistently name Jack Lowden among the finalists, raising speculation that he may be the frontrunner for the iconic role. It was reported last year that the studio was seeking a fresh British face in his early 30s to play James Bond. Among the four actors mentioned across reports, only 29-year-old Jacob Elordi fits that age criteria, though he is Australian rather than British.
The upcoming 007 film will be directed by Denis Villeneuve (Dune franchise) and written by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders). The narrative is reported to trace James Bond's origin starting from his service in the Royal Navy before detailing his transition into a secret agent for MI6. Principal photography is tentatively set to begin in 2027, eyeing a 2028 theatrical release.
Denis Villeneuve is currently one of Hollywood's most highly regarded directors. The Canadian director's early works primarily consisted of Canadian independent films, with Incendies even earning an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. He then transitioned to Hollywood, directing films such as Prisoners, Sicario, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, and the two Dune films. All of these films have received Oscar nominations, with Dune winning six awards. Notably, his action-thriller Sicario, which revolves around an FBI agent pursuing Mexican drug cartel, may share a tonal similarity with 007 films. In fact, as early as 2017, when MGM was looking for a director for No Time to Die, Denis Villeneuve was among the top contenders. It's remarkable that nearly a decade later, he is finally set to direct a new installment in the series.
His next film, Dune: Part Three is scheduled to premiere in Canada on December 18. Director Denis Villeneuve returns to complete his visionary trilogy, once again co-writing the screenplay with Brian K. Vaughan (Lost). This installment adapts Frank Herbert’s second novel, Dune Messiah, and promises a significant shift in tone from the first two films. Most of the core cast from the previous chapters will return, including Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, and Anya Taylor-Joy, who moves into a starring role as Paul’s sister, Alia Atreides. New additions to the cast include Nakoa-Wolf Momoa, the son of Jason Momoa, and Ida Brooke (Silo), who will be making their major film debuts as Leto II and Ghanima, the twin children of Paul and Chani. Robert Pattinson (The Batman) will play the film’s primary antagonist, while Isaach de Bankolé (The Brutalist) will also star. Villeneuve is taking the film’s scale to new heights by shooting selected scenes with IMAX cameras. While the film sees a change in cinematography—with Oscar winner Linus Sandgren (La La Land) taking over for Greig Fraser—fans can rest assured that the iconic sound of Arrakis will remain intact, as two-time Oscar winner Hans Zimmer returns to compose the score.
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Photo: Apple TV, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures
Source: Deadline, InSneider, The Hollywood Reporter