The hunt for the next James Bond is reaching a critical point, and it sounds like fans may be in for a major surprise when Amazon MGM Studios ultimately announces who will inherit the mantle of 007.
According to Page Six Hollywood's Tatiana Siegel (formerly of Variety and THR), English actor Jack Barton has emerged as the frontrunner for the lead role in Denis Villeneuve's currently untitled Bond 26. However, it's far from a done deal as the studio has scheduled a series of screen tests early next month to make its final selection.
In addition to Barton (Poor Things, SAS: Rogue Heroes), candidates set to screen-test include Jack Lowden (Dunkirk, Slow Horses), Callum Turner (One Night Only, Fantastic Beasts), Jacob Elordi (Euphoria, Frankenstein), Paul Mescal (Normal People, Gladiator II), and Harris Dickinson (Triangle of Sadness, The Iron Claw).
Page Six adds that Amazon MGM would prefer a younger actor to tackle the role, with plans for the chosen star to remain in the tuxedo for at least five films over the next decade and beyond. Barton is 31, while Mescal and Dickinson are both 30, Lowden and Turner are both 36, and Elordi is the youngest of the group at 29, so whoever gets the part will ideally be staying in the role well into their forties, potentially longer.
While Amazon MGM is heavily involved in the search, the ultimate selection will be made by a committee consisting of director Denis Villeneuve, casting director Nina Gold, screenwriter Steven Knight, and producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman.
During the Spider-Man: Brand New Day press tour last month, Pascal revealed that the new James Bond would likely be announced before the end of the year, "I would say the end of the year is a good bet. We are being really, really methodical. Having worked with Barbara Broccoli at the studio, I mean, Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow. And it’s got to be something really different that is a stirring and exciting and different."
Saying Craig is a hard act to follow is a bit of an understatement, as his five films were among the most critically and commercially success Bond films. He debuted in 2006 with Casino Royale and reprised the role four times in 2008's Quantum of Solace, 2012's Skyfall, 2015's Spectre, and 2021's No Time to Die, which saw him permanently retire from the iconic role.
There's no release date set just yet, but Bond 26 is expected to be Denis Villeneuve's next directorial venture after the highly anticipated Dune: Part Three, which stars Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, and is due out in theaters on December 18.