'Clear favourite' to play new James Bond after race narrowed down to four actors
Four actors are fighting to become the next 007 - and fans of the iconic film franchise seem to be favouring one candidate in particular.
Callum Turner, Jack Lowden and Josh O’Connor are all in the running to become the next James Bond, alongside a 'mystery choice' whose name is being kept under wraps.
And according to reports, a 'clear favourite' has emerged after the final screen tests were wrapped up over the weekend.
Last week, reports claimed that film chiefs will soon be making a final decision about who will step into the huge shoes that Daniel Craig has left to fill.
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Turner, Lowden, O’Connor and their unnamed counterpart are said to have headed to Bray Studios in London to show casting directors why they deserve to take on the role of the renowned spy.
It is believed they had to impress with stunts, their camera presence and dialogue.
Despite rumours suggesting that Euphoria actor Jacob Elordi and Sinners star Jack O’Connell had also made the shortlist, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that they were not involved in the final screen tests.
Whoever does bag the role of Bond next has quite the legacy to live up to, given how good of a job that Craig has done.
On top of the pressure to perform on-screen, they've also got to look super sharp in a tuxedo.
Apparently, the majority of people think that Slow Horses star Lowden will be the best man for the job, according to Ladbrokes.
The Scotsman, 36, has got odds of 8/11, while his rival Turner is the second favourite with 2/1 - whereas O’Connor is looked on a lot less favourably, earning odds of 8/1.
"The Bond race looks to be reaching crunch time and punters are firmly backing Jack Lowden to get the call," the bookies told The Sun.
"He’s already odds-on and the latest speculation has only fuelled support for him, with Callum Turner looking like his biggest threat."
Comically, Lowden's co-star Gary Oldman declared that his pal had been 'picked' to take on the role of Bond a few weeks back, but said it just hadn't been revealed yet.
"It’s been rumoured that he’s on the shortlist," the acting legend told Global in September. "We’re going to find out pretty soon, aren’t we?" Oldman said when asked about the speculation swirling around Lowden.
"Because they have picked him. They have made their choice, but they have not announced it yet. So my fingers are crossed for Jack."
Lowden's absence from a post which confirmed the eighth season of Slow Horses then poured more fuel on this fire, however, his wife Saoirse Ronan then clarified that it's definitely not a done deal.
When can we expect the new Bond to be announced?
The Little Women actress told the Associated Press: "Well, Gary Oldman thinks he’s James Bond... [That’s] its own thing. We’re kind of getting on with our life, to be honest.
"We have plenty of other things to be dealing with," Ronan went on. "So, yeah, it’s not really a subject that’s coming up in our house, to be honest."
Hopefully, we don't have too long left to wait to find out who will take his martinis shaken, not stirred.
Amy Pascal, who is set to produce the next Bond film, previously estimated that the announcement would come by 'the end of the year'.
In August, she told Deadline: "We are being really, really methodical. Having worked with [producer] 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 stirring, exciting and different."
However, the publication's film editor Justin Kroll cast some doubt over this timeline, given that there has been some delays in the casting process.
In an article that was published last Thursday (22 October), he said: "Tests were originally planned for earlier in the month, but due to schedule conflicts with the finalists were pushed to the end of the month so they could happen around the same time. Even with the tests wrapping next week, there is no timeline for when a final decision will be made, though most believe it will come by end of the year."
Dune director Denis Villeneuve will be at the helm of the next Bond film, while Pascal will produce it alongside David Heyman, who is famed for his work on Harry Potter.
Topics: James Bond, Film, Celebrity
Olivia Burke