The race to replace Daniel Craig as James Bond is entering its final stretch — and the Jack Lowden James Bond rumors have just turned into something far more serious. According to The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline, Lowden is one of four actors set to screen test for 007 in Denis Villeneuve’s Amazon MGM reboot, with the tests expected to take place next week.
It is the clearest sign yet that the search is nearing its end — cameras are about to roll, at least in the audition room.
Who Is Screen Testing for James Bond? The Final Four
The reported lineup:
- Jack Lowden (Slow Horses, Dunkirk) — named by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the actors in the mix.
- Callum Turner (Masters of the Air) — also named by THR; a long-running name in the Bond conversation.
- Josh O’Connor (The Crown, Challengers) — added by Deadline’s reporting.
- A fourth, unnamed actor — described only as part of the group preparing to test.
THR also reports that two of the most popular fan picks — Sinners star Jack O’Connell and Euphoria’s Jacob Elordi — will not be testing. The tests were originally planned for earlier in October but pushed back over scheduling conflicts.
Why the Jack Lowden James Bond Buzz Refuses to Die Down
Lowden did not come out of nowhere. The 36-year-old Scot has spent years building a résumé that makes Bond casting directors take notice.
For a start, he already plays a spy. As River Cartwright in Apple TV+’s Slow Horses — one of television’s most acclaimed spy dramas, currently airing its sixth season — Lowden does tactical action, deadpan banter, and high-stakes tradecraft for a living. It is essentially a multi-season audition tape for 007.
His film work has added movie-star moments, too: the breakout RAF pilot Collins in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, and — from December 2026 — Mr. Darcy in Netflix’s six-part Pride and Prejudice. Then there is the heritage factor. Lowden is Scottish — and if cast, he would be the first Scottish actor to play Bond since Sean Connery himself. For a franchise built on British identity, that is not a footnote. It is a selling point.
Gary Oldman’s “Fingers Crossed” Endorsement
The hype got a major boost from Lowden’s Slow Horses co-star Gary Oldman. Speaking in September on Canada’s The Morning Show, Oldman said it had been reported that Lowden was on the shortlist and added, “So my fingers are crossed for Jack.” He later clarified at a Toronto panel that he did not actually know who had been picked — but by then bookmakers had already made Lowden the favorite, at odds as short as 5/6.
What Saoirse Ronan Said About the Rumors
Lowden’s wife, four-time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan, was asked about the speculation in an Associated Press interview: “Well, Gary Oldman thinks he’s James Bond,” she said. “We’re kind of getting on with our life, to be honest… The dog needs to be walked, the dinner needs to be made — we’re most focused on that.” The couple, married since 2024, share a one-year-old child.
The Road to Bond 26: How We Got Here
The new film — the 26th in the franchise and the first under Amazon MGM Studios’ full creative control — has been assembling its pieces for over a year: Villeneuve was announced as director in June 2025, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight boarded as screenwriter a month later, and Knight confirmed the first draft was finished this September. Casino Royale returned to UK cinemas this month for its 20th anniversary — a reminder of what is at stake.
Villeneuve pivots to Bond after Dune: Part Three opens December 18, 2026. Filming is expected to begin in 2027, with a likely 2028 release. The new film will be a full reboot — a fresh timeline, not a continuation of Craig’s era — produced by Amy Pascal and David Heyman. “I’m a die-hard Bond fan,” Villeneuve told Empire. “To me, he’s sacred territory.”
What’s Next: When Will Amazon MGM Name the New 007?
The expectation is a decision before the end of the year — producer Amy Pascal has reportedly called that “a good bet.” One caution, though: a previous reported round of tests last month named a wider field — including Harris Dickinson, Paul Mescal, and Jack Barton. The shortlist keeps shifting, so nothing is locked until the studio says so.
Bond history is full of last-minute swerves — as our look at actors who were almost cast in iconic movie roles shows, Hugh Jackman was once courted for 007 after Pierce Brosnan’s era and turned it down, opening the door for Daniel Craig to redefine the character. For more on how close calls reshape Hollywood, see the full rundown of legendary near-miss castings.
For now, the runway is short: four actors, one week of tests, and a franchise-defining call before the year is out. The tuxedo is being fitted. We just don’t know for whom — yet.
Sources: CBR, Empire, ComingSoon.
