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Reports have suggested that at least four actors are testing for the role of James Bond, with screen tests being held last weekend to determine who will play one of the most coveted parts in cinema.
But while reports in Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter named three of the actors allegedly testing – Jack Lowden, Callum Turner and Josh O’Connor – the name of the fourth actor has not been confirmed.
That has led to much speculation about who that mystery fourth man is. To try and get to the bottom of it, we’ve gathered together a list of possible suspects – as well as at least two major British names who’ve already been ruled out.
Believable suspects
Jack O’Connell
While The Hollywood Reporter said that the Sinners star “was rumoured to initially be in the mix, but that is apparently not the case, according to sources”, there has been some speculation online that all of these similar-sounding names floating around may have got everyone a bit confused. What if Josh O’Connor actually isn’t testing for Bond and Jack O’Connell is? Particularly when O’Connor hasn’t been linked to 007 as much in the past as his apparent rivals, and because he’s in the middle of starring in a London play right now – likely making in-person screen tests last weekend slightly tricky.
Jack Barton
Of all the many, many names mooted for Bond, this 31-year-old unknown has emerged as a sudden and sort of believable candidate for the role. In August, Page Six of The New York Post published a report on the imminent Bond screen tests and claimed that a host of actors were due to take part. They included the usual names – like Callum Turner – but also Jack Barton, who’s appeared in Heartstopper and Poor Things. He also starred in the second series of BBC One’s SAS: Rogue Heroes last year – a show written by none other than new Bond scribe Steven Knight. Hmm.
Joe Alwyn
Reddit sleuths have suggested the Hamnet and The Favourite star may be that mystery fourth actor, particularly due to his connections to the Bond casting director Nina Gold. “She … cast Joe in his first movie role,” a post reads. “She knows him as far back as drama school.” It’s a not particularly compelling rumour, but if true, it’d at least save us from a Bond theme by Alwyn’s very famous ex Taylor Swift.
Likely nos
Jacob Elordi
While this doesn’t by any means suggest the Frankenstein star isn’t involved in the new Bond (for all we know, he could have been looked at to play a villain), the Hollywood Reporter claimed last week that Elordi is out of contention for the role. Or, as they put it, “not testing” – could this be a bit of a bluff though? Time will tell.
Harris Dickinson
As shared on Reddit this week, the original Hollywood Reporter story that ruled out Elordi was reproduced in the site’s newsletter to subscribers, but also mentioned that Babygirl star Harris Dickinson is no longer in the running for Bond. This corresponds to July claims on film journalist Jeff Sneider’s Hot Mic podcast (via World of Reel) that Dickinson had withdrawn his name from consideration, apparently citing exhaustion from shooting four Beatles movies – he’s playing John Lennon – back to back. Sneider also characterised this as a bit of a blow for Bond’s producers, with Dickinson previously considered a highly desirable candidate for the job.
Nicholas Hoult
Also mentioned in that same Hollywood Reporter newsletter was Superman and X-Men star Nicholas Hoult, who on paper probably would have made a great Bond. But alas, the site has claimed he is not in the running.
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The new Bond film, to be directed by Dune’s Denis Villeneuve, follows Daniel Craig’s final outing as Bond in No Time To Die, which was released in October 2021 after being delayed by the pandemic.
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