TThis weekend, the identity of the next James Bond should finally be known – at least to those in the know. There are reports that a number of young British actors – certainly three, maybe five – will be taking their final screen tests.
To say it took a while is an understatement. It’s been five years since Daniel Craig was killed in a hail of missiles at the end of No Time to Die, and in that time – even well before that – a swarm of actors were tapped to replace him, only to age out of the role due to a combination of indecision and cutthroat behind-the-scenes corporate shenanigans. Whoever is declared 007 will rejoin the franchise after what will likely be the longest period of inactivity in the franchise’s 64-year history.
As such, it’s kind of a big weekend. Let’s review what we know so far.
The candidates
If three actors are to test for Bond this weekend, it’s Callum Turner, Josh O’Connor and Jack Lowden. If there are more – some outlets say one other actor could take part, others two – then they won’t include Jack O’Connell or Jacob Elordi, both of whom are out of the running for one reason or another.
The identity of the other actors is not yet known. Let’s take an uneducated guess and assume that one of them is a Beatle (best fit is Harris Dickinson) and another is more famous but less appropriate (like Tom Cruise).
The screen test
Media reports say the screen test will include three main elements: stunts, camera presence and dialogue. All of this is just as important for a modern Bond. Take stunts out of the equation and your movie will be boring. Remove the presence of the camera and you may end up with a George Lazenby type, who has the potential to shake up what would otherwise be a must-see. Remove the dialogue and you’re left with Quantum of Solace, and God knows we don’t need another one.
The chances
It could be argued that Jack Lowden is the favorite, if only because the first scene of the first episode of Slow Horses was in itself a pretty good Bond audition. It was, you will recall, a race against time through an airport and a train station, on foot and by car, complete with hand-to-hand combat and shooting games. And it was really good. Working against him is the feeling that he’s a bit too much of a teddy bear for a sociopath like Bond. Plus, he spent every subsequent scene of Slow Horses doing a pretty good Simon Pegg impersonation.
Callum Turner would seem to make a sexier Bond, partly because he was able to evoke the chemistry of the very stupid sex-purge film One Night Only, and partly because he’s married to Dua Lipa, who would almost certainly get the role of Bond Girl Who Dies First if cast.
I still think Josh O’Connor would be the better choice. He looks good in a tuxedo, as anyone who has seen The Crown will attest. He’s very good at convincingly delivering absolute nonsense, as anyone who’s seen Disclosure Day will attest. However, his best-known stunt work has to be the long scene in The Mastermind in which he slowly climbs up and down a ladder several times in succession.
What is missing?
Now, this is all very good for a traditional Bond film. But we’re talking about an Amazon Bond film, directed by Denis Villeneuve. This means more will be asked of whoever gets the role, and screen tests are the perfect way to see if they can pull it off.
For example, which of the finalists will be best able to carry their voice in such a way that it isn’t drowned out by all the full-volume horn noises that Villeneuve will almost certainly use in place of a traditional soundtrack? Which of the actors will be most convincingly able to interact with a supporting character created for the express purpose of carrying their own spin-off series, the better to maintain cross-media IP synergy? Which of them will die least openly inside during the scene where an Amazon drone delivers a weapon to them? This is what will truly make or break James Bond in the future.
Gn entert
