The search for the next James Bond has reportedly narrowed to a short list, with Jack Lowden named in several reports. Amazon MGM Studios has reportedly scheduled final auditions for this weekend and the following week, according to Euronews, which rounds up reports from World Of Reel, The InSneider, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline.
Three Reports, Three Different Lists
The reports differ on the names. World Of Reel’s Jordan Ruimy said the race had narrowed to “three names: Jacob Elordi, Jack Lowden and an undisclosed third actor,” and The InSneider’s Jeff Sneider claimed Elordi and Lowden recently completed screen tests, per NME and Euronews. The Hollywood Reporter reported that neither Jack O’Connell nor Elordi will be testing. Deadline reported four test offers, to Lowden, Callum Turner and Josh O’Connor, with the fourth actor unnamed.
The contradictions are significant. Elordi is described as a finalist by one outlet and as not testing by another, and the lists from Deadline and World Of Reel share only one name, Lowden. When insider accounts disagree this sharply, the most careful reading is that the casting process is still moving and that no single report captures it fully. Amazon has said it will not comment on specifics during the process, so none of these names has been confirmed by the studio.
The Actors Named So Far
The names in circulation come from a range of backgrounds. Lowden is known for the spy series Slow Horses and for the war film Dunkirk. Elordi rose to prominence in Euphoria and later starred in Saltburn. Turner has appeared in the miniseries Masters of the Air, O’Connor played Prince Charles in The Crown and starred in Challengers, and O’Connell is known for Skins and Unbroken.
The range is wide, spanning prestige television, war films and romantic dramas. Whether that points to the direction the filmmakers want to take the character is unknown, and the studio has not described the qualities it is seeking beyond the producers’ general comments about a methodical process.
Timing: Early November, or Later
Ruimy said an announcement “could come anytime between the last week of October and early November.” Producer Amy Pascal said in August that “the end of the year is a good bet” for the announcement, adding, “We are being really, really methodical” and “Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow,” per Euronews.
The two timelines are not necessarily in conflict. A late-October or early-November announcement would still fall before the end of the year, but a producer’s description of a methodical approach suggests the studio is not bound to the schedule the insiders describe. As of the sources cited here, Amazon MGM has not announced a decision.
How the Search Reached This Point
Amazon MGM Studios said publicly in spring 2026 that the search was underway, and the studio’s film chief, Courtenay Valenti, said at CinemaCon in April that the company was taking its time. Casting director Nina Gold has been reported as leading the search. Amazon had agreed in February 2025 to take over development of the franchise, having acquired MGM in 2022 in a deal worth more than $8 billion.
The studio’s statement at the time was brief: it did not plan to comment on specifics during casting and would share news when the time was right. With so little said officially, the recent insider reports have drawn considerable attention.
The Film Behind the Casting
The 26th Bond film is directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Steven Knight. Amazon took full creative control of the franchise from longtime custodians Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Production is expected to begin in 2027, with a release planned for 2028, according to Euronews.
Villeneuve is the filmmaker behind Dune and Blade Runner 2049, and Knight created the series Peaky Blinders. The pairing signals a prestige-minded approach, and it places the incoming actor under a spotlight few franchises can match. The role has been held by six actors on screen in the Eon series, and the most recent, Daniel Craig, played Bond across five films from 2006 to 2021.
Lessons From Earlier Casting Announcements
Past announcements show how unpredictable audience reaction can be. Pierce Brosnan’s casting led to GoldenEye in 1995, a film that revived the series after a long gap, as our feature on how GoldenEye saved James Bond explains. Daniel Craig’s casting in 2005 drew sharp criticism from some fans before Casino Royale arrived the following year and won over many of them.
The lesson is that early reaction to a name is rarely the final word. Whoever Amazon chooses will face scrutiny from the moment of the announcement, and the verdict will ultimately depend on the film.
Why the Choice Matters So Much
A new Bond is more than a casting decision. The actor chosen is likely to define the franchise for a decade or more, shape its tone and anchor marketing for several films. That is why every rumor about a screen test draws such strong reaction, and why the studio has been cautious about naming anyone before a deal is finalized.
It also explains the care that has gone into the process. The franchise has changed hands after decades under one family’s stewardship, and the first film under new ownership will be judged partly on whether the lead feels like a fresh start or a continuation. For readers following the story, the most reliable updates will come from an official Amazon MGM announcement and not from individual insider claims.
How to Read Insider Reports
Casting stories are among the hardest to verify in entertainment journalism. Sources may be representatives, studio staff or people with partial knowledge, and a rumor can spread across outlets as if it had been independently confirmed. In this case Euronews, NME and others are largely rounding up the same handful of original reports, so the number of outlets repeating a name does not mean the name has been corroborated more than once.
A useful rule is to separate what an outlet claims to know from what it can show. A screen test reportedly completed is a claim; a signed contract or an official studio statement is evidence. Right now the reporting is firmly in the first category.
What Comes Next
If the reports are accurate, final tests would be completed within days of each other, and a deal could be negotiated afterward. Even then, contract terms and scheduling for a 2027 production start could affect the timing of an announcement. Until the studio speaks, the shortlist should be treated as unconfirmed.
Latest on Every Movie Plug · James Bond
James Bond Auction Offers Daniel Craig’s Skyfall Suit and Ana de Armas’s No Time to Die Dress
Propstore’s online James Bond auction of 400 lots closes October 27.
Read the article →
Latest on Every Movie Plug · James Bond
How GoldenEye Saved James Bond
How Pierce Brosnan’s 1995 debut modernized 007, shattered box office records, and proved James Bond wasn't a relic of the past.
Read the article →