Place your bets: James Bond reboot casting has a new frontrunner
Jacob Elordi and Paul Mescal may dominate the chatter, but the rumoured 007 frontrunner actually hails from Heartstopper.
There's a new twist in the search for the next James Bond, and for once, the rumour mill's thrown up a name even the most die-hard bookies probably haven't had in the top slot. Amazon MGM's supposed shortlist is doing the rounds again, and while the heavy hitters are there, it's a lesser-known actor edging into pole position according to the latest whispers.
Who's in the mix?
The headline names are what you'd expect if you've paid any attention at all: Jack Lowden ('Dunkirk'), Callum Turner ('One Night Only'), Jacob Elordi ('Euphoria'), Paul Mescal ('Gladiator II'), and Harris Dickinson ('Triangle of Sadness'). All fairly standard-leading-man material, all buzzy with the right sort of press. But here's where it takes a turn—
Out of nowhere, Jack Barton is rumoured to be leading the charge for Denis Villeneuve's Bond reboot. Barton's got a modest resume: six years in the game, best known for 'Heartstopper' on Netflix (he played David Nelson) and, most recently, returning for the series' feature-length closer, 'Heartstopper Forever'. Before all that, he debuted in 'The Letter for the King'. If you're struggling to recognise him, you're not alone, and to date, neither Amazon MGM nor Barton's own people have said a word about these rumours.
Jack Barton is reportedly the new frontrunner to play James Bond, despite being far less well-known than his rivals.
Younger Bond, longer plan
Age seems to be weighing in more this time around than it did for, say, Roger Moore. The thinking, supposedly, is that Amazon MGM want an actor who can stick around for a decade or more, tackling at least five films if all goes to plan. That means picking someone who's not only got the right look, but also plenty of runway left.
- Jacob Elordi: youngest in the mix at 29
- Paul Mescal and Harris Dickinson: both 30
- Jack Barton: 31
- Jack Lowden and Callum Turner: oldest at 36
To put that in perspective: every single actor on the list is younger than Moore, Dalton, or Brosnan were when they took on Bond. Maybe we'll finally get a 007 who doesn't groan when he jumps out of a burning hatchback.
Treat with caution
Of course, nobody should be putting money on Barton (or any of them) just yet. This whole process gets more muddled every year, and past 'frontrunners' have disappeared without a trace. Just ask Scott Rose-Marsh: in July 2025, word spread that he was being looked at. The next month, The Hollywood Reporter swore blind he'd screen-tested. Fast forward to January this year—Deadline said he'd never even auditioned and maybe the whole saga was just some over-excited misinformation. When asked directly about it by Deadline, Rose-Marsh put it down to a previous “Bond-related audition” and left it at that. Silence since.
Still, if Amazon MGM is genuinely this close to a shortlist, the timing works. Villeneuve wraps up 'Dune: Part Three' on 18 December this year, so there's every chance the Bond machine could shift into gear right after, and a public announcement might not be far off. Whoever it is, matching up to Daniel Craig's 15-year sprint (ending in 2021's 'No Time to Die') isn't exactly a breezy assignment. Though, if Barton does make the cut, that would mean both him and his former 'Heartstopper' co-star Kit Connor have landed blockbuster gigs—Connor's already lined up as Cyclops in the next round of Marvel's 'X-Men'.