Finalists Announced for Next James Bond in London Screen Tests
Actors Jack Lowden, Callum Turner, and Josh O'Connor are among the last contenders for the 007 role following a three-day audition process.
By Olivia Reed ·
Residents of Cuyahoga County who follow the major Hollywood franchises will find that the search for the next James Bond has narrowed to a short list of actors. The final stage of the selection process concluded on October 25, 2026, in London, where a small group of candidates underwent auditions for the role.
According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter, the final contestants include Jack Lowden, Callum Turner, and Josh O'Connor. Lowden is recognized for his role in the series Slow Horses. Turner appears in Masters of the Air. O'Connor played Prince Charles in The Crown. Jack O'Connell is also reportedly in the running for the part.
The auditions took place over a three-day period from October 23 to October 25. Sources described the event as a final test for the ultimate honor of playing 007. The specific individuals who attended the sessions have not been publicly identified, consistent with the secretive nature of the Bond franchise.
The age of the candidates is a factor in the decision. Lowden, Turner, and O'Connor are all thirty-six years old. This contrasts with previous frontrunners such as Idris Elba, who is now fifty-four. Other actors who have been linked to the role in recent years include Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Henry Cavill, Jacob Elordi, Richard Madden, Tom Hardy, Theo James, and Paul Mescal.
The franchise is currently under new management. In 2025, the rights to the Bond films transferred from Eon to Amazon M-GM. The upcoming film will be directed by Denis Villeneuve, who recently completed Dune: Part Three. Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, is writing the screenplay.
The previous actor to portray Bond, Daniel Craig, concluded his run with the 2021 film No Time to Die. In that movie, the character 007 is destroyed in a missile attack. This event marked the end of a long-standing agreement within the production company. The new management has confirmed that the next installment will be a full-length feature film rather than a television series.
Source: The New Yorker · original report published
