Bond Screen Tests Begin This Weekend in London

By Daniel Okafor

Three to five actors will screen-test for the role of James Bond in London this weekend, according to the Hollywood Reporter and Variety. The finalists reportedly include Callum Turner and Jack Lowden, the Slow Horses star. Two decades of franchise lore suggest these tests matter.

The last full Bond screen test ran more than 20 years ago. Henry Cavill, the future Superman, was reportedly a finalist then. The role went to Daniel Craig, who debuted in 2006's Casino Royale and exited after 2021's No Time to Die.

What will the tests involve?

The reported format has three components: stunts, camera presence and dialogue. Standard industry practice, if slightly theatrical for a tuxedo. Reports vary on the final count of contenders, with figures ranging from three to five.

Two names can be crossed off the bookmakers' lists. Jack O'Connell of Sinners and Jacob Elordi of Wuthering Heights are not testing, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The tabs will be disappointed.

Who is making the film?

Denis Villeneuve, the Dune film-maker, will direct the next Bond installment for Amazon MGM Studios. Steven Knight, the Peaky Blinders writer, is writing the script. The studio acquired the series rights in 2022 as part of an $8.45bn (£6.9bn) deal, then paid more than $1bn last year to take "creative control" from the Broccoli family, the franchise's longtime custodians.

Amazon MGM has neither confirmed nor denied the casting reports. The company referred inquiries to its earlier statement: "The search for the next James Bond is under way. 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."

In April, the company's head of film, Courtenay Valenti, asked fans for patience. "I know you're all wondering when we're going to announce who's playing James Bond," she said. "Don't get too excited. Please know that we're taking the time to do this with care and deep respect. It is the dream of a lifetime for all of us to bring audiences this next chapter, and it's a responsibility we don't take lightly."

Why did Villeneuve sign on?

Villeneuve, described as a "diehard Bond fan," has said the franchise offered an exit from Arrakis, the desert planet that has occupied most of his decade. He told Empire that returning for Dune: Messiah, which premieres this December, came from fatigue rather than longing.

"I said, 'Maybe it's a good idea to go back to this project, not out of nostalgia, not because I miss it, but the opposite – I'm tired of it,'" he said of the Dune sequel. "I want to make sure that I will be severe with the material. That I will not be complacent."

He added: "I thought, 'When it's done, I need a very powerful rocket to pull me away from Arrakis.' When I was asked to do the next Bond, I said: 'OK, this is what I need.'"

Speculation over the new Bond has intensified since Villeneuve's appointment was revealed in 2025. The film is reportedly targeting a 2028 release. Weekend screen tests don't guarantee an announcement, but they do suggest the search has moved from rumor to camera.