Overview
- Screenwriter Steven Knight has completed the first draft of the new Bond screenplay, a development reported this week that signals steady creative progress under director Denis Villeneuve.
- Amazon MGM has not publicly named a cinematic 007 and maintains a policy of not commenting on casting, but recent remarks from Knight and actor Gary Oldman have intensified coverage that a selection may already exist.
- Bookmakers and several outlets now list Jack Lowden as the favourite, and names such as Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Harris Dickinson, Aaron Taylor‑Johnson and Paul Mescal have been widely reported as under consideration.
- Separately and officially, the franchise is expanding across media: Isaac Rouse was cast as the teenage Bond for the Young Bond: SilverFin audio drama, Patrick Gibson stars in the 007 First Light video game, and new Bond novels are being released.
- Producers have signalled a preference for a younger actor who could lead multiple films and have suggested an announcement could come by year‑end, with ongoing secrecy likely to keep speculation and bookmaker markets active until then.