The Race for the Next James Bond Is Down to the Wire, and the Odds Keep Shifting

It has been more than 5 years since Daniel Craig hung up his tuxedo in ‘No Time to Die’, and the question of who will be the next James Bond has become one of Hollywood’s longest-running guessing games. Craig played 007 in 5 films between 2006 and 2021, and the franchise has been waiting for a successor ever since. Fans have floated everyone from fresh-faced up-and-comers to established stars.

Behind the scenes, the franchise has changed hands. Amazon MGM Studios took creative control from longtime custodians Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, with Amy Pascal and David Heyman stepping in as producers. Pascal previously oversaw several Bond films, including ‘Casino Royale’, ‘Quantum of Solace’ and ‘Skyfall’, while Heyman produced the ‘Harry Potter’ films. Denis Villeneuve is set to direct from a script by Steven Knight, and production is reportedly scheduled for 2027 with a release targeted for November 2028.

Villeneuve was announced as director in June 2025 on a single-film deal, and he has been finishing post-production on ‘Dune: Part Three’, which hits theaters on December 18, 2026. Knight has completed a first draft, though the film still has no official title or release date.

Now the search for the next 007 appears to be in its final stretch. Deadline reported that Amazon MGM was setting its final auditions, with at least 4 test offers handed out. On Kalshi, the prediction market currently prices Callum Turner at 37%, Josh O’Connor at 32%, Robert Pattinson at 29% and Jack Lowden at 22% to land the role.

Amazon MGM Studios has reached the final stages of casting the next James Bond Current odds to land the role: Callum Turner 37% Josh O’Connor 32% Robert Pattinson 29% Jack Lowden 22% https://t.co/1YIiJ1qUgY
— Kalshi Film (@Kalshi_Film) November 8, 2026

The 3 names tied to the final screen tests are Jack Lowden, Callum Turner and Josh O’Connor. Lowden is known for ‘Slow Horses’, Turner for ‘Masters of the Air’ and ‘Eternity’, and O’Connor for ‘The Crown’ and ‘Challengers’. All 3 are 36, and the identity of the fourth tester has not been revealed.

The Hollywood Reporter said Jacob Elordi and Jack O’Connell were not participating in the screen tests, despite reports to the contrary. The final round is said to examine stunts, camera presence and dialogue, which suggests the studio is looking for a complete package. Producers have also been very publicly insistent that the next Bond will be British.

Pattinson is not among the names attached to the screen-test reports, which makes his place on the board all the more interesting. Reports from early November said bookmaker Ladbrokes cut his odds from 50-1 to 12-1, a move that followed a surge of betting interest rather than any confirmed casting news.

Kalshi lists the next Bond as a series of separate contracts, one for each actor, so the percentages do not need to add up to 100%. That structure helps explain the dramatic swings. Turner climbed from around 20% in the summer to 58% on November 5, while Lowden jumped from 39% to 62% after Deadline’s report before settling back to 58%.

Lowden’s first bump came in August, when podcaster Richard Osman said an insider had told him the actor was being strongly considered. Amazon boss Jeff Bezos had even taken to social media to canvass followers for ideas when the takeover was announced, so public chatter has fueled this race from the start.

The latest snapshot, with the top 3 separated by only a few points, shows how fast sentiment can change. A report from early November claimed one actor had already been selected, but that claim remains unconfirmed.

Amazon MGM has not announced a decision or confirmed any of the candidates. The studio said in May that the search was underway, and it promised more news for 007 fans once the time is right.

Deadline cautioned that there is no timeline for a final casting decision, even with the tests expected to wrap quickly. An announcement is widely expected in November or December, and Pascal has said it is likely by the end of 2026. Whoever wins will become only the seventh actor in official film history to play the British secret agent.