The race to become the next James Bond has reportedly been narrowed down to three actors, with screen tests set for this weekend.Jeff Bezos and Amazon MGM Studios hold full creative control over the James Bond franchise after reaching a joint-venture and buyout deal in 2025.Bosses have been hunting for the next 007 to replace Daniel Craig after he hung up his tuxedo in 2021 after No Time to Die.Auditions are believed to have taken place over the summer, with actors including Jack Barton, Jack Lowden, Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal and Harris Dickinson said to have been in the running.Reports suggest that the list has now been narrowed down to just three candidates – Slow Horses star Lowden, Turner and one unnamed actor, according to The InSneider’s Jeff Sneider.Despite being on the list of candidates for the coveted role, Saltburn star Elordi is not being screen-tested for Bond, according to The Hollywood Reporter.Here, we take a look at the candidates vying to land the role of Britain’s most famous spy.Callum Turner The race to become the next James Bond has reportedly narrowed to three actors, with screen tests set for this weekend – with Callum Turner (pictured), Jack Lowden and an unamed actor in the runningTurner, who is married to Dua Lipa, has emerged as a top finalist to play 007. The actor, 36, shot to fame with his lead performance in Queen and Country (2014) and has since built an impressive filmography.Most recently, he starred in the romantic comedy One Night Only alongside Monica Barbaro and featured in the drama films Eternity and Rose of Nevada. Earlier this year, sources told The Mail on Sunday that Callum – the bookies’ favourite to take over from Daniel Craig – has been telling friends the role is his.One source close to the Fantastic Beasts star said: ‘He’s been blabbing all over town. Callum is the new Bond, it’s been confirmed. Everyone in his circle is talking about it. It’s the worst-kept secret going.’If he does pick up 007’s famous Walther PPK pistol, producers at Amazon may seal a two-for-one deal with Ms Lipa for a Bond theme.Most recently, Variety reported that the casting process is close to its conclusion, with final screen tests taking place in the coming days ahead of an official announcement.The publication suggested the final screen tests could be kicking off today, and the article claims Turner is still in the running to be Bond.Variety reported: ‘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… 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.’Jack Lowden According to reports, the next James Bond could be announced anytime between the last week of October and early November (pictured Jack Lowden)Thanks to his role in the hit series Slow Horses, Lowden emerged as an early front-runner to take over as 007, and his co-star Gary Oldman seemed to think he’d already landed the role.Speaking on Canada’s The Morning Show, Oldman said: ‘It’s been rumored that he’s on the shortlist. We’re going to find out pretty soon, aren’t we? Because they have picked him.’The Oscar-winner then clarified: ‘They have made their choice, but they have not announced it yet.’Presenter Richard Osman has also teased that Lowden seemed the most likely candidate to take on the role.Speaking to his co-host Marina Hyde on the latest episode of his podcast The Rest Is Entertainment, Osman said: ‘Someone told me for definite who the new Bond is the other day, but I mean that’s happened before. The name I’ve heard is Jack Lowden.’It is definitely not a “he’s definitely got it” thing. He is definitely being strongly considered. I think he’d be amazing.’Ms Hyde agreed, pointing out that at 36, Lowden is ‘a good age’, adding: ‘You have to have the longevity. They’ve got to do at least two movies, and he’s a good age for it.’Osman said the actor has ‘real Daniel Craig energy’, adding that he ‘is such a brilliant actor. Can be funny, can definitely do action. I mean, I think he’d be sensational’.Lowden has played River Cartwright in Slow Horses since 2022, and also starred in the BBC’s epic adaptation of War and Peace in 2016, and The Gold in 2023.The actor, who also had a role in Christopher Nolan’s war epic Dunkirk, is set to star as another leading man, Mr Darcy in Netflix’s anticipated Pride And Prejudice adaptation, coming later this year.He also appeared opposite his now-wife Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie in the 2018 period film Mary Queen Of Scots.Saoirse herself has previously backed Jack to land the bond role. The couple married in 2024 and welcomed their first child in September 2025.When she co-hosted a 2024 BBC Radio 2 show with Scottish DJ Edith Bowman, Edith brought up her belief that Lowden would be a great choice for the iconic role, adding that she had been making a similar argument for years.In response, Ms Ronan said: ‘I’m going to start counting how many times you plug him for Bond on the radio.’When Ms Bowman replied she had been doing so for six years, Ms Ronan responded: ‘Hasn’t happened yet though,’ before adding: ‘There’s time, there’s time.’Ruled out: Jacob Elordi Despite being on the list of rumoured candidates for the coveted role, Jacob Elordi is not being screen-tested for James BondJacob Elordi shot to fame in 2018 as Noah Flynn in the Netflix teen romance The Kissing Booth.He then went on to star as Nate Jacobs in the HBO drama series Euphoria (2019).He was linked to the role when a report from TheInsider claimed Amazon MGM had seriously considered him. Deadline’s Justin Kroll wrote on X that ‘multiple sources say Jacob Elordi is not among the four finalists for the role’. The Hollywood Reporter separately reported that, despite some reports, the Euphoria and Frankenstein star is not testing.Just days ago, World Of Reel’s Jordan Ruimy wrote: ‘A few weeks ago, I was told that the race to become the next James Bond had narrowed to three names: Jacob Elordi, Jack Lowden and an undisclosed third actor.’Now that Jeff Sneider at The InSneider is also reporting Lowden and Elordi as finalists, the cat’s out of the bag, so here we are.’What I’m hearing is that an announcement could come anytime between the last week of October and early November.’Jordan suggested that Jacob is Amazon’s favourite while Jack would be a more traditional choice.The mystery actor?Jack O’Connell Jack O’Connell had been tipped as a contender to play James Bond after his acclaimed roles in Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later and the Oscar-winning vampire thriller SinnersJack had been tipped as a contender to play James Bond after his acclaimed roles in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and the Oscar-winning vampire thriller Sinners.Bone Temple producer Danny Boyle backed him to land the role, saying at the Zurich Film Festival: ‘They should cast Jack O’Connell as Bond.’As far back as 2016, O’Connell said he’d be open to replacing Daniel Craig, telling Vogue: ‘100 per cent, but I don’t think it’s realistic.’I’d definitely not try and portray him with a Derby accent, I wouldn’t have the audacity.’I would make sure that if you were watching you would think, “Yeah this guy is going to save the world.”‘I’d have a cracking suit and I’d get in shape. I would make myself triple hard so you knew if it went down, you could trust in James.’Despite being heavily linked to the part, sources have now claimed that O’Connell is not taking part in the screen tests to play Bond.Jack Barton Jack Barton, 31, was introduced as a potential new leading man in August (pictured in SAS: Rogue Heroes) In August, British actor Jack Barton, 31, was named a favourite for the iconic part.At the time, it was reported by Page Six that screen tests were due to begin, with Barton’s name apparently among the shortlist.He has appeared in teen Netflix drama Heartstopper and the BBC SAS: Rogue Heroes in 2025, as well as a selection of minor roles.Casting directors are said to be backing Barton for the role, while it is thought that Amazon is keen for a more well-established actor.Debbie McWilliams, who picked former Bonds Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig for the role, previously said a newcomer should be cast.She told the Independent in June: ‘I don’t want to see any of [the rumoured stars] as Bond because we now know so much about them.’We want to know as little about them personally as possible, because that’s what spies are. We don’t need to know where he goes shopping or who his parents are, or where he lives.’We never want to see him at home. And a vital element of the whole thing is his job description. He’s licensed to kill, and we have to believe that he can do that. If you don’t, then you’ve lost the audience.’Aaron Taylor-Johnson Despite the rumours, insiders have denied reports that Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been cast as the new Bond, leaving speculation to swirlAaron Taylor-Johnson was said to have completed a screen test at Pinewood Studios with Bond boss Barbara Broccoli in March 2022.The 36-year-old, who has offered cryptic responses to interviewers desperate for clues about Bond, was the long-time front-runner to replace Craig.Despite the rumours, insiders have denied reports that Taylor-Johnson has been cast as the new Bond, leaving speculation to swirl.They will not simply choose one man, but ‘look at several candidates and decide who is the best man for the job’ a source said’, adding: ‘This is the biggest role in British cinema up for grabs.’Responding to the rumours he could step into Bond’s shoes earlier this year, Taylor-Johnson remained coy, telling Numero: ‘I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment.’James Norton James Norton said that it’s ‘crazy and quite flattering’ to be considered a replacement for Bond – although him being considered is ‘pure speculation’ (pictured last week)The Grantchester star said that it’s ‘crazy and quite flattering’ to be considered a replacement for James Bond – although him being considered is ‘pure speculation’.He told The Times in 2020 that being in the running is: ‘Crazy… It’s bizarre and quite flattering to be even considered in that world, but beyond that? Pure speculation.’Norton added: ‘I love the franchise and hope Barbara Broccoli continues to make it relevant. Going into the heart of Bond’s private world, as opposed to one-liners, is already progress.’In an interview with GQ in 2021, he insisted that while having a ‘Bond of colour’ is important, executives should focus on ‘treating the cause rather than the symptom’.The TV star said: ‘That, I think, is more important. Obviously, casting a Bond of colour is important if handled in a sensitive way, but there’s a bigger picture: we need to treat the cause rather than the symptom.’There is an argument, that, rather than make Bond a person of colour, why not create a new story that is authentically representative and isn’t repurposed?’But, then, you’re never going to create a franchise that will compete with the power of Bond from the off. It has to be a bit of everything, doesn’t it? I realise I’m talking in platitudes.’Harris Dickinson Harris Dickinson’s career skyrocketed to another level thanks to his role in Nicole Kidman’s sizzling film Babygirl (pictured in May 2024)Harris Dickinson supposedly removed himself from the running to be the next Bond after being sounded out by producers. His career skyrocketed after his role in Nicole Kidman’s erotic thriller Babygirl in 2024.In 2017 he was cast in the American coming-of-age drama film Beach Rats, which was directed by Eliza Hittman.Dickinson, 30, portrayed Frankie and was praised by The Times critic Ed Potton for having ‘perfected a south Brooklyn accent’.He also received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead and the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor.Since his big breakout, he has landed roles in a number of films including A Murder at The End of The World alongside Emma Corrin, The Iron Claw with Zac Efron and Allen White, the Second World War drama Blitz.Idris Elba Idris Elba ruled himself out of playing the role so he could focus on his deal with Netflix (pictured in November 2018)Idris Elba was considered a top choice but he ruled himself out of playing the role to focus on his Netflix film Luther: The Fallen Sun.The actor brought up the persistent discussions about him taking over as Ian Fleming’s famed British spy in February 2023.When asked about the Luther film at the World Government Summit in Dubai, he said: ‘We’ve been working on the television show for about ten years and so the natural ambition is to take it to the big screen, and so we’re here with the first movie.’You know, a lot of people talk about another character that begins with J and ends with B, but I’m not going to be that guy.’Paul Mescal Paul Mescal has been heavily rumoured for the role, but he has seemingly fallen off the shortlistGladiator II star Paul Mescal had been heavily rumoured to be a contender for James Bond. He shot to fame in April 2020 with his breakthrough role as Connell Waldron in the critically acclaimed series Normal People.The actor then went on to deliver his Oscar-nominated performance in Aftersun (2022) and his leading role in Ridley Scott’s blockbuster Gladiator II (2024).When asked whether he often gets questioned about Bond rumours, Paul said: ‘No, I don’t, actually. I’m a huge Bond fan. I think it’s an incredible franchise.’But it feels very, very far away from current circumstances. It’s pretty cool that I was on the Digital Spy list.’Discussing whether he would say yes if the opportunity were to arise, the actor said: ‘Would I play Bond? Yeah? I don’t know. If it ever came my way, we’d have a discussion about it. I don’t know.’I don’t want to say yes or no. I am a massive fan, and will continue to be, regardless.’Theo James Theo James was one of at least twenty established names to be linked with the James Bond role (pictured in January)Theo James, who is of Greek descent, was one of at least 20 established names to be linked with the James Bond role.Addressing the rumours, he told The Guardian: ‘Everyone’s interested in [Bond] because it’s a big part of British cultural identity, but that probably wouldn’t be me.’I do think there are better people for that job. And, honestly, it would be terrifying: if you do that, there’s no going back. You’re opening Pandora’s box there.’You have got to be willing to live a very different life and have a different life for your family. And that would be pretty tricky. Plus, my mates would take the p*ss out of me. Because they always say, “Bondopoulos – the Greek Bond.”‘ Daniel Craig hung up his tuxedo in 2021 after No Time to DieLast month, screenwriter Steven Knight confirmed 007 has already been cast.He was asked on Radio 4 whether he had written the film with the chosen actor in mind or based on what he already knew about the character.The Peaky Blinders creator, who is in the process of writing the new Bond script, replied: ‘It’s a bit of both.’It does make life a little bit easier if you know who that person is, but also you have to write the character, not the actor.’He added: ‘The thing with Bond is that it’s its own universe and own franchise so there are certain rules, obviously you have to move it along but I love where it sits.’I love that it’s British and it’s not DC or Marvel. The only thing I can say is I feel like I’m doing my duty for King and country.’It’s like something if you’re a British writer, you have to do.’Speculation about who will take over from Craig has been rife for months and heightened after Amazon MGM Studios announced in May that auditions were finally taking place.The job of finding the next Bond now falls to casting director Nina Gold and director Denis Villeneuve.