What's happened
Final screen tests are underway in London for the next James Bond. Actors including Callum Turner, Jack Lowden and Josh O’Connor are in final contention, with stunts, camera presence and dialogue assessed. Denys Villeneuve will direct; Steven Knight writes the script. Publication window remains tight as Amazon MGM Studios and producers eye a 2028 release.
What's behind the headline?
Brief
- The casting process is reaching a pivotal phase, with multiple British actors in final consideration. The narrative emphasizes methodical casting to balance nostalgia with novelty.
- The involvement of Denis Villeneuve suggests a rebooted, potentially grittier tone, while Steven Knight’s scripting promises a contemporary, character-driven arc.
Writing style
- The piece should foreground concrete steps: screen tests, stunt evaluations, on-camera presence, dialogue reads.
- A future-oriented line clarifies the film's 2028 release window and the studio’s strategy to refresh the franchise.
Impacts
- Fans should expect a definitive casting announcement soon; this will influence the franchise’s branding and potential thematic approach for Bond 00.)
How we got here
Amazon MGM Studios now controls the Bond franchise after a 2022 deal, with the search led by producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Villeneuve has signed on to direct, aiming to deliver a fresh take for Bond after more than two decades since the last screen test. Auditions are active as the studio pursues a distinctive, high-stakes casting.
Our analysis
BBC Business notes final screen tests and three-way auditions; The Guardian confirms weekend tests and links to Variety/THR reporting; The Scotsman provides synthesis and casting odds for Bond Girl contenders, including Turner, Lowden and O’Connor, while noting Amazon MGM Studios’ control of the franchise.
Go deeper
- When will the final Bond be announced?
- Which actor is the frontrunner according to bookmakers?
- What tone will Villeneuve bring to Bond?
More on these topics
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Jack Lowden - Scottish actor
Jack Andrew Lowden is a Scottish actor. Following a four-year stage career, his first major international onscreen success was in the 2016 BBC miniseries War & Peace, which led to starring roles in feature films.
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Callum Turner - English actor
Callum Robilliard Turner (born 15 February 1990) is an English actor. After working as a fashion model, he began working in film and television. He had lead roles in the drama film Queen and Country (2014) and the mystery miniseries Glue (2014), and playe
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Denis Villeneuve - Canadian-French film director
Denis Villeneuve OC CQ is a French Canadian film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is a four-time recipient of the Canadian Screen Award for Best Direction, for Maelström in 2001, Polytechnique in 2009, Incendies in 2011 and Enemy in 2013.
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Daniel Craig - English actor
Daniel Wroughton Craig ( CRAYG; born 2 March 1968) is an English actor. He gained international fame by playing the fictional secret agent James Bond in the films Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015) and No Time to Die (2021). After training at the National Youth Theatre in London and graduating from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1991, Craig began his career on stage. He began acting with the drama The Power of One (1992), and had his breakthrough role in the drama serial Our Friends in the North (1996). He gained prominence for his supporting roles in films such as Elizabeth (1998), Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), Road to Perdition (2002), Layer Cake (2004) and Munich (2005). In 2006, Craig played Bond in Casino Royale, a reboot of the Bond franchise that was favourably received by critics and for which Craig was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Since then he has acted in many films, including the fantasy The Golden Compass (2007), the drama Defiance (2008), the science fiction Western Cowboys & Aliens (2011), the mystery thriller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) and the heist film Logan Lucky...
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James Bond - Fictional character
The James Bond series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections.
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Steven Knight - British screenwriter
Steven Knight CBE is a British screenwriter and film director. Knight wrote the screenplays for the films Closed Circuit, Dirty Pretty Things, and Eastern Promises, and also directed as well as wrote the films Locke and Hummingbird.
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Barbara Broccoli - American film producer
Barbara Dana Broccoli OBE is an American-British film producer known for her work on the James Bond film series.
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Amazon MGM Studios - Film distributor
Amazon Studios is a television and film producer and distributor that is a subsidiary of Amazon. It specializes in developing television series and distributing and producing films. It was started in late 2010.
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No Time to Die - 2020 film
No Time to Die is a forthcoming spy film and the twenty-fifth instalment in the James Bond film series produced by Eon Productions. The film features Daniel Craig in his fifth and final outing as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond.