Former James Bond icon Pierce Brosnan has shared his choice for the next 007. Speaking to Vanity Fair, the 73-year-old actor praised all the candidates currently in the running to replace Daniel Craig, but he gave a special nod to Callum Turner.
Brosnan and Turner previously shared screen space as father and son in the 2017 drama The Only Living Boy in New York. Brosnan noted that all the contenders are actors he admires, but singled out Turner as being exceptionally strong.
Buzz Builds Around Turner
Speculation has grown intensely as film industry insiders suspect Turner might have clinched the part. The 36-year-old actor was spotted attending a screen test at Bray Studios in Berkshire.
Reports from The Sun also revealed that Turner stepped down as a director of Twentytwo Films Ltd, a company set up last year with his wife, Dua Lipa. Observers view this move as an effort to clear his schedule for the demanding franchise.
“Callum, Callum Turner is someone I've worked with, and he's so strong.”Pierce Brosnan
Other Contenders and Next Steps
Jack Lowden and Josh O'Connor, both 36, are also reported frontrunners. Lowden received backing from his Slow Horses co-stars Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas, while O'Connor called the reports bizarre and flattering without confirming any details.
Bond 26 will be helmed by director Denis Villeneuve and written by Steven Knight. It marks the first film in the series under Amazon's creative control, following long-time custodians Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson.
What happens next
Producer Amy Pascal indicated an official casting announcement is likely by the end of the year, with production expected to begin in 2027 ahead of a 2028 release.
