Hold your Slow Horses, Amazon! Apple at war with rival streaming giant as star of their spy drama Jack Lowden is tipped to play James Bond

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 18:00 EDT, 29 August 2026 | Updated: 18:05 EDT, 29 August 2026 As it is the most coveted job in showbusiness, landing the role of James Bond was always going to be a battle.But after years of speculation, it isn't the actors who are fighting over who will be the next 007, but Apple and Amazon – two of the world's biggest streaming giants.The Mail on Sunday can reveal Jack Lowden, one of the key contenders to inherit Daniel Craig's licence to kill, is at the centre of a war between the two mega broadcasters, with both desperate to have him on their screens.Sources say it is impossible for the Essex-born actor, 36, who plays MI5 agent River Cartwright in Apple series Slow Horses, to also play Bond.This has prompted a fierce rearguard action from Apple to ensure it keeps him for the next showing.But Lowden is highly rated by Amazon bosses selecting the new suave spy.One insider told The Mail on Sunday: 'It is literally impossible for an actor to play two British spies almost simultaneously. You can't have two franchises and two spies but just one face.'Jack is very much in the conversation and there are people who think he would make a fantastic Bond. But the elephant in the room is Slow Horses. Amazon wants its Bond but Apple already has its spy. Saoirse Ronan and Jack Lowden attended the 2025 EE BAFTA Film Awards at The Royal Festival Hall on February 16, 2025 The Mail on Sunday can reveal Jack Lowden, one of the key contenders to inherit Daniel Craig's licence to kill Tom Brooke and Jack Lowden in 'Slow Horses,' Season 5'There are some huge egos at Apple and Amazon and they do not like to lose out to one another, so the battle is on.Lowden, who is married to actress Saoirse Ronan, plays ambitious Cartwright opposite Gary Oldman's Jackson Lamb in Apple's successful espionage drama. Based on Mick Herron's books, future series would almost certainly clash with the new Bond movie.Lowden has become one of the UK's most sought-after actors following roles in Mary Queen Of Scots, Pride And Prejudice and Dunkirk. He also starred in BBC drama The Gold as convicted murderer Kenneth Noye, who melted down stolen gold from the infamous 1983 Brink's-Mat robbery.The race to become the next 007 has been whittled down to a final four, with the remaining contenders already put through their paces at Pinewood Studios, a source has claimed. They are understood to have reached an advanced development stage in the search for Craig's successor, undergoing extensive tests designed to discover not simply who can act like Bond, but 'be' him, too.While it is not known who the four are, Jacob Elordi, Callum Turner, Paul Mescal, Jack O'Connell and Harris Dickinson are all in the mix, as well as late-comer Jack Barton – who catapulted to fame on Netflix's coming-of-age drama Heartstopper.According to an insider, the contenders have been tested on how convincingly they handle fight sequences, their movement, screen presence, charisma and beyond. They have also been asked to tackle classic Bond-style moments in front of the cameras, allowing those managing the new era to assess how each actor handles the physicality, danger, humour and effortless charm demanded by the role.Another source said: 'It's much more than reading lines in an audition room. They're looking at the complete package. How does he walk into a room? How does he look in a fight? Can he turn on that Bond charisma when the scene requires it?'They're effectively putting them into the world of Bond and seeing who looks like he belongs there.'Director Denis Villeneuve is overseeing the next incarnation of 007, with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight writing the screenplay.