For years, the biggest unanswered question in Hollywood has been brutally simple: who is replacing Daniel Craig as James Bond? Now, a new comment from Gary Oldman has thrown that mystery wide open.
Oldman says the filmmakers have already made their choice for the next 007. He has also made it very clear who he is hoping gets the role: his Slow Horses co-star Jack Lowden. That does not officially mean Lowden is Bond — but it has suddenly made the Scottish actor’s name much harder to ignore.
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Gary Oldman Says James Bond Casting Has Already Been Decided
The latest twist comes directly from Gary Oldman, who plays Jackson Lamb in Apple’s Slow Horses opposite Jack Lowden’s River Cartwright.
During an interview with Canada’s Global, Oldman was asked about reports connecting Lowden with the James Bond role. Instead of brushing the rumours aside, the Oscar-winning actor appeared to reveal something much bigger: the casting decision has apparently already been made.
“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. They have made their choice, but they have not announced it yet. So my fingers are crossed for Jack.”
That wording is what has sent the Bond conversation into overdrive.
Oldman says “they have picked him” and “they have made their choice,” suggesting that the process has moved beyond simply auditioning actors or drawing up a shortlist.
But there is an important catch.
He does not explicitly confirm that Jack Lowden is the actor who has been selected.
In fact, the final part of his statement — “my fingers are crossed for Jack” — leaves room for another interpretation. Oldman may know that the filmmakers have chosen someone, while simply expressing his personal hope that Lowden is that person.
So, despite the excitement, this is not an official Jack Lowden James Bond announcement.
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Amazon MGM Has Not Yet Revealed the Next 007
That distinction matters because Amazon MGM Studios has remained extremely guarded about the identity of Daniel Craig’s successor.
In a May 2026 update on the search for the next James Bond, the studio said:
“The search for the next James Bond is underway”
Amazon MGM also said it did not plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, promising to share more information “as soon as the time is right.”
That means Gary Oldman’s comments are currently sitting in an interesting space between insider revelation and personal speculation.
If his information is accurate, the filmmakers may already have settled on their next Bond. But until Amazon MGM Studios or the official James Bond franchise announces the actor, Jack Lowden’s casting remains unconfirmed.
And that uncertainty is exactly what makes the latest development so intriguing.
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Why Jack Lowden Is Suddenly One of the Biggest Bond Names
Lowden has already been part of the Bond conversation for weeks, but Oldman’s comments give the speculation a very different energy.
The Scottish actor has built an international profile through projects including Slow Horses, Dunkirk, Mary Queen of Scots and Benediction.
His role in Slow Horses is particularly interesting from a Bond perspective. Lowden already plays River Cartwright, a British intelligence operative, in one of television’s most acclaimed espionage dramas.
In other words, audiences have already seen him handle the world of MI5, intelligence operations and high-stakes British espionage.
That does not make him Bond — but it certainly makes the casting theory easy to understand.
Earlier reports had also identified Harris Dickinson, Callum Turner and Jacob Elordi among actors who fit Amazon MGM Studios’ reported vision for the next 007.
Deadline previously reported that auditions were taking place in August, with Amy Pascal and David Heyman involved as producers and Denis Villeneuve involved as director.
Meanwhile, broadcaster and presenter Richard Osman had previously said he had heard Lowden’s name connected to the role.
None of those reports represents an official casting announcement. But together, they have helped make Lowden one of the most closely watched candidates in the race.
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Denis Villeneuve and Steven Knight Are Already Building the Next Bond Era
While the identity of 007 remains hidden, the next James Bond movie is not being built from scratch.
A major part of its creative foundation is already official.
Denis Villeneuve, the filmmaker behind Dune, Dune: Part Two, Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, has been appointed to direct the next James Bond movie.
Amazon MGM Studios announced Villeneuve’s involvement in June 2025, with Tanya Lapointe serving as executive producer and Amy Pascal and David Heyman producing.
Villeneuve has also made no secret of how seriously he takes the franchise.
When his appointment was announced, he said:
“Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery. I’m a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he’s sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor.”
The screenplay is being written by Steven Knight, creator of Peaky Blinders. Amazon MGM Studios announced Knight’s appointment in July 2025, establishing the central creative team alongside Villeneuve, Pascal and Heyman.
The official 007 website also lists Villeneuve’s appointment and Knight’s involvement as confirmed developments for the upcoming film.
So while Bond himself remains a mystery, the people responsible for shaping his next cinematic chapter are already in place.
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Why This Bond Movie Is Different From Daniel Craig’s Era
The casting mystery is happening during a much bigger transition for the franchise.
In February 2025, Amazon MGM Studios announced a new joint venture with long-time Bond rights holders Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.
Under that arrangement, Amazon MGM Studios gained creative control of the James Bond franchise, while Wilson and Broccoli remained co-owners of the intellectual property.
That makes the upcoming movie the first major Bond feature being developed under Amazon MGM’s new creative-control arrangement.
It also arrives after Daniel Craig’s departure from the role.
Craig’s final Bond movie, No Time to Die, was released in 2021, bringing his five-film run to an end. His journey as 007 began with Casino Royale in 2006.
The next film therefore has an enormous job ahead of it.
It needs to introduce a new Bond actor, establish a new creative direction and begin a new era for one of cinema’s most recognisable franchises.
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What is officially known about the next James Bond movie?
| Detail | Official information |
| Previous Bond | Daniel Craig |
| Craig’s first Bond film | Casino Royale (2006) |
| Craig’s final Bond film | No Time to Die (2021) |
| Director | Denis Villeneuve |
| Screenwriter | Steven Knight |
| Producers | Amy Pascal and David Heyman |
| Executive Producer | Tanya Lapointe |
| Amazon MGM announcement of Villeneuve | June 2025 |
| Amazon MGM announcement of Steven Knight | July 2025 |
| Casting status | Officially undisclosed |
| Jack Lowden status | Speculation; not officially confirmed |
Amazon MGM Is Keeping the Bond Casting Process Extremely Quiet
That secrecy has arguably made the speculation even louder.
Amazon MGM’s May 2026 update deliberately avoided naming actors being considered and said the studio would not comment on individual casting details while the process was underway.
As a result, rumours have been filling the information gap.
Names have come and gone. Reports have focused on auditions. Industry insiders and public figures have offered hints. And now Gary Oldman has added perhaps the most interesting comment yet.
His claim is not simply that Lowden is being considered.
It is that the filmmakers have already made their choice.
If that is accurate, then the biggest remaining mystery may no longer be who will they choose?
It may simply be:
When will Amazon MGM announce it?
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Saoirse Ronan Makes the Jack Lowden Bond Theory Even More Intriguing
There is another connection that has made fans even more curious.
Jack Lowden is married to Oscar-nominated actress Saoirse Ronan, who has publicly expressed interest in playing a Bond villain.
Speaking to Empire in August, Ronan said:
“I want to go dark. I said that I wanted to be a Bond villain and I’m dead serious.”
She went on to explain why the idea particularly appeals to her, saying:
“I think it would be really interesting, having a young female villain. Especially for girls and women, to see someone who can just take all that pent-up anger and direct it somewhere, there’s something interesting in that dramatically. So I would love to do more of that.”
Ronan’s comments were made independently of the current Bond casting rumours.
There is no indication that she has been offered a role.
But with Lowden’s name continuing to circulate as a possible 007, the idea of the married actors appearing in the same Bond film has naturally become an intriguing possibility for fans.
For now, though, that remains exactly that: a possibility, not a confirmed casting development.
Jack Lowden as James Bond: What Is Confirmed and What Isn’t?
At this point, it is useful to separate the facts from the increasingly loud speculation.
Confirmed: Denis Villeneuve is directing the next James Bond movie.
Confirmed: Steven Knight is writing the screenplay.
Confirmed: Amy Pascal and David Heyman are producing.
Confirmed: Tanya Lapointe is serving as executive producer.
Confirmed: Amazon MGM Studios has said the search for Daniel Craig’s successor has been underway.
Reported: Auditions took place in August, with Harris Dickinson, Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi and Jack Lowden among names connected to the wider speculation.
Reported: Richard Osman had previously said he had heard Lowden’s name in connection with Bond.
Claimed by Gary Oldman: The filmmakers have already made their choice.
Not confirmed: That Jack Lowden is the actor they selected.
That final distinction is the one Bond fans should keep in mind.
Oldman’s words are certainly significant, particularly because he works closely with Lowden on Slow Horses. But his statement does not amount to an official announcement from Amazon MGM Studios.
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So, Is Jack Lowden Really the Next James Bond?
Right now, there is no official answer.
Gary Oldman’s comments have potentially revealed that the Bond casting process has reached its final stage — or perhaps has already finished altogether. His clear support for Jack Lowden has simultaneously pushed the Scottish actor further into the spotlight.
But the crucial part remains unchanged: Amazon MGM Studios has not officially announced the next James Bond.
Until the studio or the official Bond franchise confirms the casting, claims that Lowden has definitively been chosen should be treated as unconfirmed.
Still, Oldman’s remark has changed the atmosphere around the story. The question may no longer be whether the filmmakers are close to choosing the next 007.
They may already have done it.
And if Gary Oldman’s reading of the situation is correct, Bond fans could now be waiting not for the decision itself — but for the moment Amazon MGM finally pulls the curtain back.
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Disclaimer
This article is based on thorough research of the sources provided, including reporting from Deadline, Amazon MGM Studios, the official James Bond 007 website, NME’s coverage of Saoirse Ronan’s Empire interview, ANSA and The Independent. The article clearly distinguishes officially confirmed information from media reports, industry speculation and comments made by individuals. Gary Oldman’s remarks indicate that he believes the Bond casting decision has been made, but they do not constitute official confirmation that Jack Lowden has been cast as James Bond. The final casting remains subject to confirmation from Amazon MGM Studios or the official James Bond franchise.
Sources
- Deadline — Gary Oldman Claims James Bond Has Been Cast, As He Backs Jack Lowden To Play 007 — primary report containing Oldman’s comments and the background on the Bond auditions.
- Amazon — An update on the search for the next James Bond — official Amazon MGM Studios update on the casting process.
- James Bond 007 — Denis Villeneuve to direct next James Bond film — official franchise announcement.
- Amazon — Steven Knight to write the next James Bond movie — official announcement confirming the screenwriter.
- James Bond 007 — Amy Pascal and David Heyman to Produce Next James Bond Film — official production announcement.
- Empire coverage via NME — Saoirse Ronan wants to play a “dark” Bond villain — source for Ronan’s quoted comments about wanting a Bond villain role.
- ANSA — Gary Oldman says the new James Bond has been chosen — independent report corroborating the substance of Oldman’s comments.
- The Independent — Gary Oldman claims James Bond is now cast — additional reporting on the casting claim and Lowden speculation.
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