Actor Gary Oldman has claimed that the next actor to portray James Bond has already been selected. Oldman, who stars alongside Jack Lowden in the Apple TV+ series "Slow Horses," stated in an interview that while the choice has been made, an official announcement has not yet been released.
"We’re going to find out pretty soon, aren’t we? Because they have picked him," Oldman told "The Morning Show." "They have made their choice, but they have not announced it yet."
Oldman expressed his support for Lowden, 36, to take on the 007 mantle, saying his "fingers are crossed" for his co-star. Lowden has not publicly commented on the rumors, but his wife, actress Saoirse Ronan, recently expressed interest in playing a Bond villain.
"I want to go dark," Ronan told Empire magazine. "I said that I wanted to be a Bond villain and I’m dead serious."
Amazon MGM Studios, which now owns the Bond franchise, has been in the process of selecting a new actor to lead the spy series following Daniel Craig's departure after "No Time to Die" in 2021. Denis Villeneuve is attached to direct the next installment.
Reports have previously placed Lowden, Jacob Elordi, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Callum Turner, Paul Mescal, and Harris Dickinson on a shortlist for the role. However, other sources have indicated that Jack Barton, an actor with a minor role in "Poor Things," is considered the favorite. Insiders noted that screen tests are still pending.
Villeneuve is reportedly seeking a "fresh face," specifically an unknown British male actor, who can project a strong physical presence. The franchise has seen several actors embody the role of James Bond over the decades, including Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan, before Craig. No official casting announcement has been made regarding the next James Bond actor.