James Bond enthusiasts believe they may have identified the previously unnamed actor taking part in the latest 007 auditions alongside Callum Turner and Jack Lowden.
Following years of speculation over Daniel Craig’s successor, reports emerged over the weekend that a select group of performers had reached the screen-testing stage at Bray Studios.
Turner was reportedly the first of the contenders to audition on Friday, as Bond producers narrowed their search to a final group of three. The following day, an unidentified actor was spotted leaving the Berkshire studio, prompting fresh online speculation.
Social media users quickly began investigating the mystery candidate, with Joe Alwyn’s name repeatedly emerging as a possible contender for the next James Bond.
Alwyn, known for roles in Conversations with Friends, The Brutalist and Hamnet, has attracted attention from fans who believe his potential involvement would fit the circumstances surrounding the secretive audition.
One Reddit user suggested there could be a particular reason for keeping Alwyn’s identity under wraps, writing: “I can’t think of any other reason why they would hide the actor. Joe has a good reason to be hidden.”
James Bond fans believe they may have worked out the identity of the “mystery” actor auditioning alongside Callum Turner and Jack Lowden for the 007 role
The post also pointed to casting director Nina Gold’s longstanding connection with Alwyn. According to the fan theory, Gold knew him from drama school and cast him in his first film, making her involvement another possible link to the Bond auditions.
The user added that hiding the strongest candidate would not necessarily prove Alwyn was the favourite, questioning why other actors would be publicly identified if producers had already settled on their likely choice.
The theory, posted on Reddit, soon drew a wave of responses from users who said the possibility had not previously occurred to them but appeared plausible.
One commenter wrote that they had never considered Alwyn as a serious contender before, but now thought the theory “makes sense.”
Another noted that Alwyn was reportedly due to film a romantic comedy in New York, although he had been in London during the week for a friend’s wedding — and potentially to attend the secret 007 screen test.
The auditions were reportedly scheduled to continue throughout the weekend, with between three and five actors understood to have made it to the final stages of the James Bond casting process.
A source told the Daily Mail: “Daniel Craig’s replacement has been years in the making, and Callum was called today, Friday, to get his opportunity to impress the bosses. The next three days are going to be very interesting indeed.”
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Bray Studios, the historic film facility on the River Thames, has hosted productions including The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Amazon MGM Studios, which now oversees the James Bond franchise, acquired the site in 2024.
After years of rumours, a final group of actors was reportedly invited to screen-test for the role made famous by Daniel Craig (pictured)
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Could Joe Alwyn emerge as the surprise choice to become the next James Bond?
Turner’s reported audition marks a significant moment in the search for the actor who will take over from Craig after almost a decade of rumours and uncertainty surrounding the iconic spy role.
The Emma star, who married pop singer Dua Lipa earlier this year, has long been regarded as one of the leading names in the race to become the next 007.
Scottish actor Jack and Josh O’Connor, both 36, are more recent names to be thrown into the ring and Australian actor Jacob Elordi, 29, also in the running will, no doubt anger die-hard fans who believe Bond should be played by a Brit.
Confirming that the audition process was reaching an end, Bond producer Amy Pascal in August said: ‘I would say the end of the year is a good bet.’
Casting by December would allow Amazon MGM Studios to start filming the next movie in 2027.
Dune director Denis Villeneuve, who is taking on the project and bosses at Amazon, announced in May that the casting process was underway.
Amy said: ‘We are being really, really methodical. Having worked with Barbara Broccoli at the studio, I mean, Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow.
‘And it’s got to be something really different that is stirring and exciting and different.’
Other stars who were previously linked with the role include The King’s Man star Harris Dickinson, along with SAS: Rogue Heroes’ Jack Barton.
Only six actors have ever played novelist Ian Fleming’s British Secret Service agent 007 in the official film series – Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.