James Bond Reboot Eyes Dark Horse Game of Thrones Alum as 007 Frontrunner

So, everybody keeps asking who the next James Bond is going to be. The gossip mill is churning (as always), but lately there’s a little less noise—unless you’re Callum Turner, who might be one spilled martini away from announcing he’s already got the job. But, and here’s where it gets fun, he’s not the only contender worth keeping an eye on. There’s now a rising dark horse: a Game of Thrones alum you probably haven’t even heard of.

Who’s steaming up the Bond speculation this week?

Let’s break down the three names everyone keeps dropping into this never-ending saga:

• Callum Turner: You know him from “Fantastic Beasts” and “Masters of the Air.” Supposedly, he’s been 'blabbing all over town' that the Bond gig is his. If that’s true, he may want to zip it—nothing’s signed, and leaking stuff early is rarely a great look for future superspies.
• Jacob Elordi: Miles Teller’s wingman in “Euphoria,” and soon to play Frankenstein. Reports have him taking meetings with Amazon and, yes, director Denis Villeneuve. So he’s very much in the race, even if he’s keeping it a little less loud than Turner.
• Henry Ashton: Now here’s where things get a bit more interesting. He’s not a household name, but betting odds (which, let’s be honest, end up almost as reliable as casting press releases these days) have him at 8-1 to nab the role. Why? Well, he fits a lot of classic Bond specs: British, six-foot-two, blonde hair, blue eyes—a look that would transition cleanly from Daniel Craig. And, bonus trivia, he went to a public school, which never hurts with this franchise.

Let’s take a closer look at Ashton

You might be scratching your head: 'Henry who?' He’s currently pulling duty as Daeron Targaryen on the new “Game of Thrones” spin-off, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” and has popped up in “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder,” “My Lady Jane,” and “Outlander.” He’s a couple of years younger than Daniel Craig was when “Casino Royale” dropped (Craig was 38, Ashton is 35), which sort of lines up with those rumors the studio wants to 'skew younger' with the new Bond. But he’s still got that 'fresh face' thing going for him.

The Bond reboot: What we know (and what’s just rumor)

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s actually happening with the next 007, at least as far as anyone can verify:

Amazon has taken control of the franchise after Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson stepped away from showrunning. They brought in Denis Villeneuve—yeah, that Denis Villeneuve, the guy behind “Dune” and “Blade Runner 2049”—to direct. The script? Steven Knight (the brain behind “Peaky Blinders”) is on that job.

Plot details are, naturally, being guarded like nuclear launch codes, but the word on the street is that artificial intelligence will be at the heart of the story. The pitch (at least for now) is for something 'bold, fresh and relevant'—so, probably a Bond who owns a smartphone and doesn’t have to ask someone else how it works.

As far as timeline, don’t expect any official casting info before 2026. Yes, it’s going to be a wait.

What’s next?

If you want to play casting agent yourself, check out Henry Ashton next month opposite Brendan Fraser in the WWII flick “Pressure.” Maybe ask yourself if he looks good in a tux and could believably save the world with nothing but a handgun and an arched eyebrow.

For now, Bond’s legacy is still up for grabs—and so is every tuxedo rental in London, apparently.