Slow Horses star Jack Lowden is neither shaking nor stirring the rumour mill on whether he will be the man to take over the 007 mantle from Daniel Craig in Denis Villeneuve‘s reboot of James Bond.
In a recent interview with GQ, Lowden discussed the ongoing rumours about the role and stated that he is not surprised by the noise surrounding his name.
“As a young male actor, generally, the minute you’re not playing a zany artist type, the minute you’re in a suit, people fling it at you,” he said. It perhaps doesn’t help that the nation has fallen in love with him as MI5 agent River Cartwright, which has given them the taste of what his version of Bond could look like. “It’s all very flattering. It’s nice to be mentioned – for any role – and I’m just not really going to add to the noise.”
Someone who has been stoking the fire is his Apple TV spy thriller co-star Gary Oldman, who has not been shy in backing Lowden for the role: “It’s very nice. Gary is a sweetheart – it’s particularly lovely, coming from someone like him. But I don’t really listen to it.”
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The speculation comes after Variety reported that Amazon MGM Studios had started prepping to conduct the final screen tests for the role. As of this moment, they have narrowed their shortlist to four actors: Lowden, Rose of Nevada star Callum Turner; Disclosure Day standout Josh O’Connor; and a mystery fourth actor who has yet to be named. Various names that have circulated previously, such as Jacob Elordi or Harris Dickinson, have been eliminated, with other names such as Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jack O’Connell still being speculated as the fourth actor.
There are reports online that say that the fourth actor is, in fact, a person of colour and their name is being kept quiet to “spare him the inevitable racist vitriol that would be unleashed online – vitriol that may not be worth it unless he ultimately lands the role”. This could include previously speculated actor Idris Elba.
Whoever the actor may be, it will be the first film since Daniel Craig bowed out in 2021’s No Time to Die and will mark the first instalment since Amazon MGM took creative control from Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, who still remain co-owners of the 007 property. Denis Villeneuve is attached to direct, with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight writing the screenplay, and Spider-Man producer Amy Pascal, alongside David Heyman, will be producing. The daunting task of picking our next Bond falls on the shoulders of casting director Nina Gold.
An official announcement on who is taking on the role is expected to be released before the end of 2026, though nothing has been confirmed. Fans of the British spy will have to wait just a little longer to see who will be putting on the famous tuxedo and drinking a Vodka Martini.
