Next James Bond Movie: Bond 26 Status, Cast and Release Date
The next James Bond movie, currently called Bond 26, is in development at Amazon MGM Studios with no title, no release date and no lead actor announced as of 2 November 2026. Denis Villeneuve directs from a screenplay by Steven Knight, and final screen tests for the lead role were reported by TheWrap to have begun on 23 October 2026.
What Is the Status of the Next James Bond Movie?
The next James Bond movie is in development, which means the script and the casting are moving but cameras are not rolling. Amazon MGM Studios holds creative control of the series, and it has announced neither a title nor a date.
The studio confirmed on 14 May 2026 that casting had begun, with the line "The search for the next James Bond is underway." On 12 September 2026, writer Steven Knight said the first draft of the screenplay was finished, as Variety reported. TheWrap reported on 22 October 2026, citing insiders, that final screen tests would begin on 23 October and run for about a week; the studio declined to comment.
So, where does that leave the film? Between a finished first draft and a reported last round of auditions, the lead actor is the main missing piece. Filming dates are also unannounced. Producer Amy Pascal indicated to Screen Daily in March 2026 that the film will shoot in the UK, and she gave no schedule.
The last film in the series was No Time to Die (2021), directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, with a UK premiere on 30 September 2021 and a US release on 8 October 2021. If you want the full run of 25 EON films before the new one arrives, our James Bond movies in order guide lays out the sequence, and the James Bond movies hub covers the series as a whole.
Who Is Confirmed for the Next James Bond Movie Cast?
No actor is confirmed for the next James Bond movie, and that includes the lead role. Amazon MGM Studios has confirmed none of the names reported in the press, so the cast list is empty for now.
What is confirmed sits behind the camera. Denis Villeneuve directs, announced in June 2025 and reported by NPR. Steven Knight writes, and Amy Pascal and David Heyman produce. Screen Daily lists all four, and it describes the casting search that followed.
Nina Gold is the one reported crew member. Variety first reported on 14 May 2026 that she was hired as casting director, but the studio statement of 14 May did not name her. Gold is reportedly running the search for the actor who replaces Daniel Craig, who played Bond in five EON films, from Casino Royale (2006) to No Time to Die (2021).
There are no announced supporting roles either. That means M, Q, Moneypenny and the villain are all open questions for the new film. Our James Bond cast page tracks the credited names for every released film.
Who Is in the Running for James Bond? The Rumors
Three actors are reported to be in the running for James Bond: Jack Lowden, Callum Turner and Josh O'Connor. TheWrap reported this on 22 October 2026, citing insiders, and described them as three of four actors taking final screen tests. Amazon MGM Studios has confirmed none of it.
The same report says the fourth tester is an unknown actor, and that Jacob Elordi is no longer in the running. That is a reported detail, with the same status as the rest. RTE noted on 23 October that the studio had not confirmed any names.
Two further claims are unconfirmed. One says Callum Turner has already been cast, and nothing from the studio supports it. The other is a remark from Gary Oldman, who said the casting choice has been made and that he hopes it is Jack Lowden. Variety carried it in its 12 September 2026 piece on Knight's first draft, but the original interview has not been traced, so the remark stays unverified.
So, who is replacing Daniel Craig as James Bond? Nobody has been named. A shortlist reported by one outlet is a shortlist, and until Amazon MGM Studios speaks, every name above is a rumor with a source and a status, not a fact.
| Claim | Status | Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Lowden, Callum Turner and Josh O'Connor have test offers for the lead role, along with an unknown actor. | reported | October 22, 2026 | TheWrap |
| Jacob Elordi is no longer in the running and is not testing for Bond. | reported | October 22, 2026 | TheWrap |
| Gary Oldman said the Bond casting choice has already been made and that he hopes it is Jack Lowden. Knight's 2026-09-12 Variety article mentions this. I could not open the original Variety piece, so the date is the date of the Knight article. | unconfirmed | September 12, 2026 | Variety |
What We Know About Bond 26 So Far: A Reality Check
The solid facts about the next James Bond movie are a director (Denis Villeneuve), a writer (Steven Knight), two producers (Amy Pascal and David Heyman), a finished first draft and a studio that says the search is underway. In my opinion, that is a stronger foundation than most casting stories get at this stage, and it is worth separating from the noise around the actor.
Villeneuve, who directs Dune: Part Three (2026), and Knight, who wrote the first draft, are the two creative anchors of Bond 26. It could be argued that the pairing says more about the tone of the film than any casting rumor can. Pascal has also indicated a UK shoot, which fits a series with deep British roots.
On casting, perhaps the most telling detail is the process itself. Final screen tests, reported by TheWrap, suggest the studio is comparing actors on camera rather than announcing a name early. If you are following along, expect the studio to announce the actor only when the deal is signed, and treat any "cast" headline without a studio statement as unconfirmed.
The timing is the open part, since there are no filming dates and no release date. My own guess, and it is only a guess, is that the lead announcement lands before any date does. For now, the best use of the wait is to catch up on the series through the James Bond timeline.
Facts
- The next James Bond film (Bond 26) has a status of in development, with no title announced. Screen Daily, checked 2026-11-02
- Bond 26 has no announced UK premiere, US release or Australian release date. RTE, checked 2026-11-02
- Denis Villeneuve was named director of the next James Bond film in June 2025. NPR, checked 2026-11-02
- Steven Knight writes Bond 26. Screen Daily, checked 2026-11-02
- Amy Pascal and David Heyman produce Bond 26. Screen Daily, checked 2026-11-02
- Amazon MGM Studios confirmed on 14 May 2026 that the search for the next James Bond was underway. Screen Daily, checked 2026-11-02
- Steven Knight said on 12 September 2026 that the first draft of the Bond 26 screenplay was finished. Variety, checked 2026-11-02
- TheWrap reported on 22 October 2026, citing insiders, that final Bond screen tests would begin on 23 October, with Jack Lowden, Callum Turner and Josh O'Connor among four testers. TheWrap, checked 2026-11-02
- No Time to Die (2021), the most recent Bond film, had its UK premiere on 30 September 2021 and its US release on 8 October 2021. The Numbers, checked 2026-11-02
FAQs
Who is in the running for James Bond?
TheWrap reported on 22 October 2026, citing insiders, that Jack Lowden, Callum Turner and Josh O'Connor are among four actors in final screen tests. The fourth is unidentified. Amazon MGM Studios has confirmed none of these names.
Who is replacing Daniel Craig as James Bond?
No replacement has been announced. Casting for the next James Bond film began in May 2026, reportedly led by casting director Nina Gold, per Variety, and Amazon MGM Studios has not named a lead actor. Reports point to a shortlist that includes Jack Lowden, Callum Turner and Josh O'Connor, and claims that Callum Turner has already been cast are unconfirmed.
Why did Daniel Craig quit 007?
No reason for Daniel Craig's exit has been published in the studio's announcements about Bond 26. What is documented is the run itself: Craig played Bond in five EON films, from Casino Royale (2006) to No Time to Die (2021), and No Time to Die is the most recent Bond film. Amazon MGM Studios confirmed on 14 May 2026 that the search for the next James Bond was underway.
Who is directing the next James Bond movie?
Denis Villeneuve directs the next James Bond movie, Bond 26, as announced in June 2025 and reported by NPR. Steven Knight writes the screenplay, and Amy Pascal and David Heyman produce.
When will the next James Bond be announced?
Amazon MGM Studios has not announced when the next James Bond actor will be named. The studio has set no decision date, and final screen tests were reported to have begun on 23 October 2026.
What is the next James Bond movie release date?
The next James Bond movie, Bond 26, has no release date yet. It has no title either, and no UK premiere, US release or Australian release date has been announced.
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