Callum Turner has reportedly been chosen to play James Bond in Amazon MGM Studios' upcoming "Bond 26," according to The Lagos Review, which cites the entertainment reporter Roger Friedman of Showbiz411 by way of cbr.com. The studio has not confirmed the selection, so the question of who succeeds Daniel Craig remains officially open.
Friedman, who also broke the news of Craig's casting in "Casino Royale," reported that Turner emerged from screen tests held in late October. Neither Amazon MGM nor director Denis Villeneuve nor the film's producers have verified the claim.
Why it matters
The casting decision is the first major creative call of the Amazon era. "Bond 26" will be the initial entry in the series made under Amazon MGM's creative control and the first produced without Eon Productions, after Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson stepped back from running the franchise last year. Amy Pascal and David Heyman are now producing, with Villeneuve directing and Steven Knight writing the script.
Whoever takes the part inherits a character last seen dying on screen. Craig's final outing was 2021's "No Time to Die," in which Bond was killed off — a conclusion that leaves the series facing a genuine reset rather than a handover.
A frontrunner who was never a surprise
Turner, 36, had long been discussed as a leading candidate. Reports placed him in final auditions at Bray Studios in Berkshire alongside Jack Lowden, Josh O'Connor and other contenders whose names were not disclosed.
His profile has climbed steadily through the "Fantastic Beasts" films, George Clooney's "The Boys in the Boat," the Second World War series "Masters of the Air" and the recent romance "One Night Only."
Speculation grew louder after word that he had given up his directorship at Twentytwo Films, the production company he founded with his wife, Dua Lipa. British tabloids read the move as preparation for a demanding, long-term commitment, though it does not establish that he has the role.
If the report holds, Turner would be the seventh actor to lead the official Bond series, after Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Craig.
What to watch
Amazon MGM said in May that its search had started but would not discuss individual candidates while casting was under way — a position that leaves the studio's public silence consistent with either outcome. Production on "Bond 26" is expected to start in 2027, with a theatrical release reportedly slated for 2028.
