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Jack Lowden is the Scottish actor behind River Cartwright in Slow Horses, with film roles in Dunkirk and Benediction. He would bring Bond a convincing intelligence officer's watchfulness, a dry sense of humour and vulnerability beneath the bravado. His work as River makes sudden danger feel messy and physical, which would suit a 007 who earns his escapes. Reported among the actors expected to take final screen tests in October 2026, he is our strongest pick for a grounded new era.
Callum Turner is the British actor known for Masters of the Air, The Capture and the Fantastic Beasts films. As aviator John Egan, he combines swagger with the strain of leadership, a useful blueprint for Bond's confidence under pressure. He could make the dinner-jacket glamour feel effortless while keeping the man underneath approachable and fallible. Turner is among the names in October 2026 screen-test reports, and would suit a big, romantic adventure with genuine stakes.
Josh O'Connor is the English actor who played Prince Charles in The Crown and the provocative tennis player Patrick in Challengers. That contrast is his Bond audition in miniature: establishment manners on one side, restless mischief on the other. He could make 007's charm feel like a tactical choice and give the quieter scenes an unpredictable edge. Named in October 2026 reports about final screen tests, he is the most intriguing option for a psychologically complicated Bond.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is the English star of Kick-Ass, Nocturnal Animals and Bullet Train, where his sharp-suited hitman Tangerine mixes comic timing with explosive violence. That ability to turn a joke into a threat would give Bond both bite and entertainment value. He has the physical confidence for close combat and the intensity to suggest something dangerous beneath the tailoring. A major name in earlier casting rumours, he belongs here as an enduring alternative, rather than a confirmed finalist.
Henry Cavill is the British actor best known as Superman, with spy credentials in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Mission: Impossible - Fallout. Napoleon Solo supplies the debonair wit; Fallout supplies the bruising physical presence. Put those qualities together and the case for a commanding, classic Bond practically writes itself. A persistent fan favourite, he is a wish-list choice here: the appeal is seeing his polished leading-man style paired with a colder, more ruthless streak.
Theo James is the British actor who leads The Gentlemen and played Cameron in The White Lotus. His poised aristocrat Eddie Horniman makes a persuasive case for a Bond who can navigate wealthy company while quietly assessing the threat in the room. He also has the sly humour to make a raised eyebrow land without puncturing the tension. His popularity with Bond fans is easy to understand, although he has publicly played down the possibility and described himself as too old for the part.
Richard Madden is the Scottish actor known for Robb Stark in Game of Thrones, David Budd in Bodyguard and the spy thriller Citadel. Bodyguard is the key evidence: he can hold a scene through stillness, scan for danger and let suppressed trauma leak through a disciplined exterior. That would give Bond's professional composure an emotional cost. A longstanding fan pick, Madden would be ideal for viewers who want precision, tense action and a hero whose confidence does not make him invulnerable.
James Norton is the English actor whose range runs from Grantchester's Sidney Chambers to Happy Valley's Tommy Lee Royce and McMafia's Alex Godman. The attraction for Bond is that distance between reassuring charm and genuine menace. McMafia shows how comfortably he can inhabit expensive, international surroundings, while Happy Valley proves he can unsettle an audience. A familiar name in years of Bond speculation, he could make 007's courtesy feel like a very thin cover for something lethal.
Regé-Jean Page is the British actor who broke through as Simon Basset in Bridgerton and brought deadpan nobility to Xenk in Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves. Bridgerton makes the case for romance and social command; Xenk shows he can be physically assured and funny without chasing the joke. Those qualities would suit a suave Bond with a lighter touch and an air of mystery. He remains an appealing fan-casting choice, with the potential to make a quiet introduction as memorable as an action scene.
Idris Elba is the English actor behind Stringer Bell in The Wire and John Luther in Luther. He can project authority before speaking, then reveal the obsession and weariness underneath it, exactly the ingredients for a formidable veteran Bond. His appeal is less about the tuxedo than the sense that he has already survived things he will never discuss. He has ruled himself out, so this is an acknowledged fan dream: a commanding, world-weary 007 whose charm would carry real weight.
