Callum Turner has reportedly been selected as the next James Bond, according to cbr.com, which cites entertainment reporter Roger Friedman of Showbiz411.
Amazon MGM Studios has however not confirmed the casting, leaving the identity of Daniel Craig’s successor officially unresolved.
Friedman, who previously reported Daniel Craig’s casting in Casino Royale, said Turner had been chosen following screen tests conducted in late October. The report has not been verified by Amazon MGM, Denis Villeneuve or the producers of the forthcoming film.
Turner, 36, had been widely regarded as a frontrunner. He was reported to have taken part in final screen tests alongside Jack Lowden, Josh O’Connor and other unnamed candidates, with auditions understood to have taken place at Bray Studios in Berkshire.
Speculation around Turner intensified after reports that he had stepped down as director of Twentytwo Films, the production company he co-founded with his wife, Dua Lipa. British tabloids interpreted the move as a sign that he was preparing for a major, time-intensive commitment, although it does not confirm his casting.
Turner’s profile has risen through roles in the Fantastic Beasts films, George Clooney’s The Boys in the Boat, the Second World War series Masters of the Air, and the recent romance One Night Only.
If confirmed, Turner would become the seventh actor to play James Bond in the official film series, following Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Craig. Craig’s final appearance was 2021’s No Time to Die, in which the character died.
Bond 26 will be the first Bond film released under Amazon MGM’s creative control and the first without involvement from Eon Productions. Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson stepped back from overseeing the franchise last year, with Amy Pascal and David Heyman now producing.
Denis Villeneuve is directing the film, with Steven Knight writing the screenplay. Production is expected to begin in 2027, and the film is reportedly scheduled for theatrical release in 2028.
No official release date has been announced.
Amazon MGM said in May that the search for the next Bond had begun but declined to comment on individual candidates during the casting process.