The fog is beginning to thicken once again around the new James Bond.
For the second day in a row, the British press and 007 fans have been actively discussing the name Jack Lowden — the star of the series Slow Horses, who is increasingly being called one of the most serious candidates for the role of the next 007 agent.
There has been no official announcement yet.
His name surfaced in the summer of 2026 as one of the more unexpected candidates for 007. The Independent wrote that after alleged auditions, he even began to climb in the bookmakers' lists and be considered as an alternative to better-known contenders like Callum Turner, Harris Dickinson, and Jacob Elordi.
So, the current picture is this: Jack Lowden is one of the most discussed and, according to rumors, seriously considered candidates, and Tom Francis is a younger and less well-known option, who is also figuring in conversations about the casting of Bond himself.
The creators want to look not only at already famous stars, but also at "fresh faces" — British actors around 30 years old, whom the public has not yet had time to firmly associate with other franchises. Francis fits this criterion almost perfectly.
So, different roles have not yet been distributed between them — they are, rather, competitors for the very same 007. There is still no official decision from Amazon MGM, and producer Amy Pascal has said that the announcement of the new Bond is likely closer to the end of the year 2026.
But the rumor has already gone far beyond mere fan fantasies.
Why Jack Lowden specifically
At first glance, the choice seems almost too logical.
Lowden is British, he is 36 years old, he is young enough to play Bond for many years, yet he already possesses the composure and inner gravitas that this character requires.
And most importantly, audiences have already seen him in the role of an intelligence officer.
In Slow Horses, Lowden plays River Cartwright, an MI5 agent who constantly balances between professional confidence, irritation, mistakes, and a desire to prove he is capable of more.
In other words, he won't have to get used to being a man in an expensive suit who works for British intelligence and regularly finds himself in life-threatening situations.
But Bond is a completely different scale.
Not a glossy hero
This is precisely where Lowden could prove especially interesting.
He does not give the impression of a perfectly polished superhero.
There is a coldness in him, a nerve, sometimes even fatigue.
He knows how to look like a man who thinks faster than he speaks and is capable of being dangerous without needing to demonstrate it every second.
For the new Bond, this might be more important than a perfect smile.
After the Daniel Craig era, the public has become accustomed to the fact that 007 can be wounded, doubting, emotionally closed off, and far from flawless.
Lowden is quite capable of continuing this line — but doing it in his own way.
Where did the rumor even come from
A new wave of conversation arose after television presenter and writer Richard Osman said that he had heard Lowden's name in connection with the casting of the new Bond.
According to him, the actor might indeed be under serious consideration.
At the same time, Osman immediately clarified: this does not mean that the role has already been secured.
And this is an important detail.
Amazon MGM has not yet officially announced a new lead.
So it is still too early to say "Jack Lowden is the new James Bond."
But the phrasing "one of the top candidates" now seems quite appropriate.
The new Bond will be completely different
The intrigue is heightened by who is responsible for the next era of the franchise.
The director's chair has reportedly gone to Denis Villeneuve.
The script is being written by Steven Knight.
And this combination almost guarantees that the new film is unlikely to be just another repetition of the old formula.
Villeneuve loves serious scale, tension, and characters who exist for more than just action.
Therefore, the new Bond could well become colder, more psychologically complex, and a little less glossy.
In such a context, Lowden seems like a particularly natural fit.
But the competition is immense
His name is far from the only one.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Callum Turner, Aaron Pierre, and other British actors appear regularly in conversations about the new 007.
That is precisely why the current buzz around Lowden should be taken with a grain of salt for now.
The history of Bond casting is full of instances where an "almost confirmed" actor vanished from discussions after a few weeks.
Until an official announcement, everything remains up in the air.
And yet, there is something to this choice.
If you imagine Jack Lowden in a tuxedo, with a cold gaze and the signature "Bond. James Bond," the idea stops seeming strange.
Quite the opposite.
He possesses the right blend of intelligence, danger, and British restraint.
He already knows how to play an agent.
He is not too "overexposed" by major superhero franchises.
And at the same time, he is recognizable enough for the studio to make him the face of a new era.
For now, this is just a rumor.
But it is already that rare kind of rumor that seems not just appealing, but entirely plausible.
If Amazon MGM is truly looking for a Bond who will pose less and think more, Jack Lowden could prove to be a very strong choice.
