Published : 07 Sep 2026, 01:57 AM
Updated : 16 Sep 2026, 11:48 AM
Six years of guessing may finally be over, as Amazon MGM's search for the next James Bond nears its final stages, the BBC reports.
Names linked to the role for months include Henry Cavill, Harris Dickinson, Jacob Elordi, Jack Lowden, James Norton and Jack O'Connell. Callum Turner and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have also been mentioned.
More recently, stage actor Tom Francis and “Gladiator II” star Paul Mescal have entered the frame, according to reports cited by the BBC.
Amazon MGM Studios, which now controls the franchise, confirmed in May that casting was under way. Few details have been shared since.
Entertainment writer Daniel Richtman said that casting appeared to be down to a final round. Journalist Jeff Sneider added that the eventual choice may not be among the frontrunners.
According to the BBC, auditions are likely to follow the format used in past castings. These are built around a scene from “From Russia With Love” that tests an actor's presence and charisma.
Unlike past unveilings, this reveal could instead be announced via Prime Video, given Amazon's ownership of the franchise.
Fans have circled Oct 5, Global James Bond Day, as a likely date for the reveal.
Details of the next film itself remain scarce. “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight is writing the script, with Dune director Denis Villeneuve attached to direct.
The film is widely projected to be released in 2028, which would mark the longest gap between Bond instalments to date.
Reports suggest the new film may reboot the character early in his MI6 career, sidestepping any need to follow on from Daniel Craig's finale in No Time to Die.
