Jack Barton Reportedly Leads the Next James Bond Race—but No One Has Been Cast

The next James Bond has not been officially cast. The latest reports place 31-year-old British actor Jack Barton at the top of a provisional shortlist, ahead of better-known names including Jack Lowden, Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal and Harris Dickinson. But Amazon MGM has not confirmed Barton as a favorite, the reported candidates or the timing of screen tests. 125

What is confirmed about Bond 26?

Denis Villeneuve is attached to direct the next Bond film, with Steven Knight writing and Amy Pascal and David Heyman producing. Amazon MGM has confirmed that the casting process is under way, but it has not publicly named an actor in contention or described the reported audition process in detail. 69

Producer Amy Pascal has said that revealing the new 007 by the end of 2026 is “a good bet.” Her wording leaves room for the schedule to change; it is an expectation rather than a guaranteed announcement date. 1611

Why Jack Barton is such a surprising frontrunner

Barton is the clear outlier on the reported shortlist. His best-known credits include David Nelson, Nick’s older brother, in Netflix’s Heartstopper; John Tonkin in SAS: Rogue Heroes; and the small role of Fop 1 in Yorgos Lanthimos’s Poor Things. He has also appeared in Grantchester and other television projects. 172024

He trained at the Oxford School of Drama and has a much smaller public profile than the other names reportedly being tested. 1724 That is precisely why the report is notable: Barton would represent a deliberate move away from choosing an already established international star and toward introducing an actor to a mass audience through Bond itself.

Reports attributed to entertainment-industry sources say Villeneuve and casting director Nina Gold were searching across the United Kingdom for lesser-known talent and were impressed by Barton. 2236 That account is not the same as a public endorsement from either filmmaker, however. It should be treated as casting reporting, not confirmation of the studio’s decision.

Barton’s reported connection to publicists who also work with Daniel Craig has likewise generated speculation. There is no evidence in the provided reporting that the professional overlap influenced the Bond search, so it is best understood as an unverified detail rather than a meaningful casting clue. 25

The reported six-person shortlist

The names reported as candidates for screen tests are:

• Jack Barton — Known primarily for Heartstopper, SAS: Rogue Heroes and a small part in Poor Things.
• Jack Lowden — Best known internationally for Slow Horses and other film and television work.
• Callum Turner — Recognized for projects including Masters of the Air and major film roles.
• Jacob Elordi — Known for Euphoria and Saltburn.
• Paul Mescal — Rose to prominence through Normal People and has taken on major film roles, including Gladiator II.
• Harris Dickinson — Known for films including Triangle of Sadness and The Iron Claw.

The lineup has been reported by multiple outlets, but Amazon MGM has not officially confirmed it. 5121445

Barton’s lack of comparable leading roles makes him the most unexpected candidate. Lowden, Turner, Elordi, Mescal and Dickinson already have stronger associations with major productions and prominent dramatic performances; Mescal is also an Oscar nominee. 14 If Barton were selected, the decision would amount to a significant leap from supporting and television work into one of cinema’s most recognizable franchises.

What the screen tests could reveal

Reports have moved the next round of Bond screen tests from an earlier expected August window to early September. The tests are said to involve the reported shortlist, although the date and participants remain unconfirmed by the studio. 526

Screen testing would be especially important in a search that appears to weigh long-term potential alongside current fame. Bond requires more than a recognizable name: the eventual actor must carry action, romance, wit and dramatic stakes across a sustained franchise run. Reports have suggested that Amazon MGM is looking for a younger actor who could commit to multiple films, sometimes described as a run of five, but neither the age preference nor the number of films has been confirmed on the record. 12

The reported emphasis on a fresh face would also align with Pascal’s description of the next Bond as something “really different,” “stirring” and “exciting.” That comment describes the creative ambition, not a confirmation that Barton is the person who will deliver it. 213

Is Jack Barton really the favorite?

The most accurate answer is: reportedly, but not officially.

Barton is described in entertainment reports as the leading name or “surprise favorite,” apparently because Gold’s search was said to include lesser-known British actors and because the team reportedly responded positively to him. 172240 Yet there is no public casting announcement, no confirmed screen-test list and no direct statement from Villeneuve, Gold or Amazon MGM naming Barton as the frontrunner.

The absence of prominent bookmaker odds is not evidence that Barton has been ruled out. It mainly reflects how speculative the race remains and how little verified information has been released. Betting markets and entertainment reporting are different signals; neither establishes that an actor has secured the role.

For now, Barton should be described as a reported frontrunner, not the next James Bond. The distinction matters because the remaining audition process could change the picture quickly.

What happens next?

The next meaningful developments would be confirmation of the screen-test participants, further comments from the production team or an official casting announcement. Pascal’s end-of-2026 estimate provides the clearest public timeline, but it is deliberately noncommittal. 16

If Barton ultimately gets the part, Bond 26 would have one of the franchise’s sharpest casting surprises: a relatively little-known actor chosen over a group of more established leading men. Until Amazon MGM confirms the decision, though, that remains a compelling possibility—not a settled result.