Who Will the Next James Bond Be? Contenders Explained
Amazon has not cast Daniel Craig’s successor yet, but who will the next James Bond be is narrowing to names like Jack Lowden, Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Harris Dickinson, and others as Denis Villeneuve’s team screens actors for a film eyed for 2028.
Key Takeaways
- Amazon MGM Studios now holds creative control of Bond after a 2025 joint venture shift.
- No official shortlist exists, though first-round auditions are reportedly finished.
- Leading rumored contenders include Lowden, Turner, Jack Barton, Elordi, Dickinson, Paul Mescal, and Tom Francis.
- Producer Amy Pascal says an announcement by the end of 2026 is “a good bet.”
- Filming is expected in 2027, with a 2028 release target.
Nearly five years after Craig’s exit in No Time to Die, 007 still has no face. The difference this time is structural: for the first time in decades, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson are not picking the actor. Fans of glossy escapism—from spy thrillers to luxury real estate and dream homes—are watching the franchise’s next era closely.
Why Is This Bond Search Different?
Amazon bought MGM for $8.5 billion in 2021 but initially lacked full creative control. That changed in 2025, when Amazon MGM Studios and Broccoli and Wilson formed a joint venture; Amazon invested another $1 billion and took creative control while all three retained ownership.
Casting now sits with a team led by director Denis Villeneuve, casting director Nina Gold, and producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman. Steven Knight is writing the screenplay. According to Robb Report, formal casting began in spring 2026.
Who Are the Leading Contenders for 007?
Amazon confirmed the search was underway in May and will not comment on specific names. Still, reporting and prediction markets keep circling a core group.
Jack Lowden, the Scottish Slow Horses star, got a boost when co-star Gary Oldman said the next Bond has already been chosen and he has his “fingers crossed” for Lowden. Callum Turner remains a long-running British favorite with blockbuster and prestige credits. Jack Barton, 31, is a relative unknown linked to Knight’s SAS: Rogue Heroes.
Jacob Elordi would be a high-profile Australian pick—Lazenby territory—while Harris Dickinson and Paul Mescal offer rising dramatic heft. Tom Francis, 26, reportedly auditioned earlier this year. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, once heavily linked, is no longer central now that Broccoli and Wilson no longer oversee casting.
When Will We Know Who the Next James Bond Is?
Pascal told Deadline an end-of-2026 reveal is “a good bet,” with the team being “really, really methodical.” That window would leave room to lock a deal before 2027 cameras and a 2028 target date. Until then, the answer to who will the next 007 be remains: not announced—but the shortlist chatter has never been clearer.