The crowning of the next James Bond is upon us.
Final screen tests for Amazon MGM Studios‘ new 007 are set to happen in the next week, sources tell Variety, beginning as early as Friday. Though who exactly will test is up in the air, Callum Turner and Jack Lowden appear to be in the mix.
Reps for Turner, Lowden and Amazon MGM did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.
Denis Villeneuve is set to direct the new Bond movie for Amazon MGM, with casting extraordinaire Nina Gold helming the audition process. A timeline has still not been given for when Amazon will officially name its next Bond, though the expectation is before the end of the year.
Turner and Lowden have each had their moment in the Bond rumor mill, with Lowden recently moving to the forefront. Speculation reached fever pitch when the Scottish actor’s “Slow Horses” co-star Gary Oldman appeared to suggest that Lowden had made the shortlist. Lowden’s wife, Saoirse Ronan, later weighed in on the buzz, saying that it’s “not really a subject that’s coming up in our house.”
British star Turner was a favorite for the spy earlier this year, with fans even fantasizing about the possibility of a Bond theme song by his wife Dua Lipa. While promoting arthouse film “Rosebush Pruning” at Berlin Film Festival in February, he was immediately asked about the rumors. “It’s very early for that question,” Turner said with a Bond-esque smirk. “I’m not going to comment on it.”