James Bond Shortlist Narrows to Six Names, and an Unknown Actor Is Reportedly the Frontrunner

The search for the next James Bond has dragged on for years now, fueled by an endless cycle of betting odds, social media campaigns, and speculation about who might finally step into Daniel Craig’s shoes. With Amazon MGM Studios and director Denis Villeneuve now firmly in charge of the franchise’s future, fans have been waiting for real movement rather than more rumors.

That movement appears to finally be here. According to Page Six, six actors are set to screen-test for the role in early September, giving the franchise its clearest path yet toward naming a new 007.

The shortlist includes Jack Barton, Callum Turner, Jack Lowden, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal, and Harris Dickinson, with the decision reportedly involving Villeneuve, longtime Eon Productions producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, and screenwriter Steven Knight. Most of those names have circulated through Bond casting chatter for months, but one name on the list has caught nearly everyone off guard.

Jack Barton, a relative unknown whose most notable credit is a small role in ‘Poor Things,’ is reportedly the current frontrunner for the role. Casting director Nina Gold is said to have specifically scoured the United Kingdom for lesser-known talent, and insiders have apparently taken to calling Barton “The One” internally.

Barton’s résumé beyond ‘Poor Things’ remains fairly modest, with appearances in British television projects including Steven Knight’s ‘SAS: Rogue Heroes’ and Netflix’s ‘Heartstopper.’ His relative anonymity may actually be working in his favor, given how difficult it’s historically been for more famous actors to shed their existing screen personas once cast as Bond.

The rest of the shortlist brings considerably more star power to the table. Turner and Lowden have reportedly built the most sustained momentum in recent weeks, while Elordi and Dickinson have remained recurring names throughout the broader casting conversation, and Mescal continues to surface as a persistent contender.

Elordi has built serious momentum in recent years through ‘Euphoria,’ ‘Priscilla,’ and ‘Saltburn,’ while Mescal broke out with ‘Normal People’ and earned an Oscar nomination for ‘Aftersun’ before moving into blockbuster territory with ‘Gladiator II.’ Dickinson, meanwhile, has assembled an unusually eclectic résumé spanning ‘Triangle of Sadness,’ ‘The Iron Claw,’ ‘Babygirl,’ and Steve McQueen’s ‘Blitz.’

One name notably absent from the official shortlist but still circulating in industry conversation is Jack O’Connell, known for ‘Sinners’ and ’28 Years Later.’ His continued presence in the rumor mill suggests the field may be somewhat more fluid than the six confirmed names might indicate.

With actual screen tests now on the calendar for early September, the years-long guessing game finally appears to be entering its final stretch. Whether Barton’s underdog status holds up once cameras start rolling, or one of the more established names pulls ahead during testing, should become considerably clearer in the weeks ahead.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!