A Hollywood insider claims the studio behind the project, Amazon MGM, has “completed the testing process” for the new film and pointed to two specific actors
James Bond fans eagerly awaiting the announcement of the next actor to play 007 may not have much longer to wait, with a decision reportedly on the way “very soon”. Five years have passed since outgoing actor Daniel Craig made his final appearance as the suave MI6 agent in 2021’s No Time to Die – and a brand-new instalment is on its way.
Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Prisoners, Dune and Blade Runner 2049) is lined up to direct, but the new Bond actor has not yet been announced. Speculation over who will take on the role has been rife in recent months.
Some of the names suggested include Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), Callum Turner (Fantastic Beasts), West End star Tom Francis and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Nosferatu). Meanwhile, Deadline reported in August that the shortlist could include anywhere from “five to seven” hopefuls to a figure “in the teens”.
Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider now claims that the studio behind the project, Amazon MGM, has “completed the testing process”, with two of the actors mentioned above said to be “part of it”.
He wrote in his newsletter, The InSneider: “On the news front, I’m hearing that Amazon MGM has completed the testing process for James Bond, and while I haven’t heard much, I do know that Jacob Elordi and Jack Lowden were part of it.
“I fully expect the studio and director Denis Villeneuve (who loves his young movie stars) to choose Elordi, as the internet has suspected from the very beginning. Stay tuned, as we may get word about 007 very, very soon…”
In August, author Richard Osman, a well-known TV producer and presenter, revealed which actor he had heard was being “strongly considered” for the role.
Speaking to co-host Marina Hyde on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, he admitted that he thought the actor would be “amazing”. He said: “The name I’ve heard is Jack Lowden. It is definitively not a ‘he’s definitely got it’ thing. He is definitely being strongly considered. I think he’d be amazing.”
Jack’s credentials appear to fit the role, given his portrayal of MI5 operative River Cartwright in the Apple TV spy thriller Slow Horses. Meanwhile, Jacob Elordi is known for playing Nate Jacobs in the HBO series Euphoria.
Bond producer Amy Pascal previously suggested that the announcement could come this year. She told Deadline: “I would say the end of the year is a good bet. We are being really, really methodical.
“Having worked with Barbara Broccoli at the studio, I mean, Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow. And it’s got to be something really different that is a stirring and exciting and different.”
Amazon MGM Studios said: “While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right.”
Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
