Final James Bond Contenders Unveiled As 007 Auditions Near End

Published Oct 22, 2026, 10:40 AM EDT Nick Bythrow is a Lead Writer for ScreenRant. He has been writing for the site since September 2022. He graduated from Hampshire College in 2022, where he triple majored in Journalism, Communications, and Media Studies. When he's not writing about TV and movies for ScreenRant and his blog, Frayed Branches, Nick is penning speculative fiction and poetry on Amazon. He lives outside Boston, Massachusetts. The James Bond finalists have been revealed. Amazon is nearing the end of the audition stage for the next 007, as revealed in a new report about the next era for the spy franchise. The new James Bond movie will be the first produced with Amazon MGM Studios holding the rights to the franchise, ushering in a new era for the classic MI6 agent. Under the studio's full creative control, the next movie will be produced by Amy Pascal and David Heyman, while director Denis Villeneuve and writer Steven Knight are tasked with bringing it to life. However, the next James Bond has yet to be revealed. But, according to Deadline, it won't be a mystery for much longer. A new report states that Amazon MGM Studios will be holding test screenings as early as tomorrow, October 23, 2026, to determine who the next Bond is going to be. The screenings will take place over the course of the next week with four finalists before the studio decides who gets the starring role. The report says it's now down to four actors, three of whom are reported to be Jack Lowden, Callum Turner, and Josh O'Connor. According to the report, test screenings had been pushed to the end of the month due to scheduling conflicts, meaning Amazon has known who its finalists were for quite some time. It's unclear when the results of the test screenings will be determined, though, with no timeline on when the next James Bond will be announced. However, Amazon is expected to make the decision before the year is over, leading into the production of the first movie with a new actor in the lead. Lowden, Turner, and O'Connor have been long-rumored choices for the next James Bond. Lowden currently stars in Apple TV's Slow Horses as protagonist River Cartwright, a rejected MI5 agent still working for an arm of the UK government. Turner has earned recognition for his role as former British Army Lance Corporal Shaun Emery in the TV series The Capture, alongside a Satellite Award nomination for the war miniseries Masters of the Air. O'Connor has starred in dramas like Challengers and Wake Up, Dead Man, his most recent role being in Steven Spielberg's Disclosure Day. All three actors have proven their skills onscreen in various roles, making it understandable as to why they would be finalists for the role. There's also a fourth actor involved in the process, but as of writing, it's unclear who it could be. The report indicates Amazon MGM Studios hasn't commented on the finalists yet, meaning it's likely there won't be any direct confirmation about the process until it's over. Still, it appears the next Bond will be announced before the year is over. With the search for the next Bond nearing its end, it seems like the next James Bond movie will soon have its lead. While information may not arrive until well after Amazon's test screenings are over, it seems likely that Lowden, Turner, or O'Connor will be announced as the leading man in the next few months. For now, it's up to Amazon MGM Studios to confirm who takes the role, and what it'll mean for the franchise under the studio's control. TV Show(s) Fleming: The Man Who Would be Bond Video Game(s) GoldenEye 007, The World Is Not Enough, 007: Nightfire, James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing, Quantum of Solace, James Bond 007: From Russia with Love, James Bond 007: Blood Stone, GoldenEye 007 Remake, 007: Agent Under Fire First Film Dr. No First TV Show Fleming: The Man Who Would be Bond Genres Action Cast Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig