Jack Barton Leads the Bond 26 Shortlist Before September Tests

Photos: Harald Krichel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source; Ian Patterson · CC BY 2.0 · source

Harris Dickinson, Jack Lowden and the Rest

The rest of the shortlist brings its own pull. Jack Lowden has been talked about as Bond material for years. Callum Turner keeps turning up in fan talk and on betting boards. Jacob Elordi and Paul Mescal bring far more public recognition, which helps in some rooms and complicates things in others. The field, as Page Six Hollywood and the other reports frame it, is a mix of star power and clean slate.

Harris Dickinson is the odd one in another way. About a month ago, reports said he had backed away from consideration because he did not want another huge commitment after playing John Lennon in Sam Mendes’ four-film Beatles project. Now he is back on the six-name list. The reports do not say what changed, only that he is still in the mix. A screen test can open a different door even if the first door stays shut. ComicBook.com pointed to Cillian Murphy testing for Batman before he ended up as Scarecrow, which is the sort of career detour actors remember for a long time.

There is also a clean practical reason the unknown choice keeps making sense. If the studio wants a Bond era that runs for a decade or more, it helps to start with an actor who can grow into the part without dragging a pile of famous roles behind him. That does not make the other candidates less capable. It only explains why Barton, of all people, may now be the name to watch.

Photos: Harald Krichel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source; Ian Patterson · CC BY 2.0 · source

September Screen Tests and the Clock on Villeneuve

The calendar is moving. SuperHeroHype said the announcement could come in October, while Amy Pascal has said the end of the year is a good bet. COED also reports that production is expected to begin next year, with the film landing in theaters in 2028 or 2029. If the September screen tests go ahead as planned, the franchise may finally be close to a call.

That timing matters for Denis Villeneuve too. The reports note that he has Dune: Part Three promotion and a possible awards run coming later this year and into 2027. Locking Bond now would let the team move on to the rest of the film’s cast, the allies, villains, and love interests who will fill out this next era around the new lead.

For now, though, the clearest fact is the simplest one. Bond 26 has six reported contenders, Jack Barton is the surprise name at the top, and the next screen tests are set for September.

Every factual claim above is drawn from these. The reading of them is ours.