A London pub story is fueling huge speculation, but nobody official has actually said who the next James Bond will be.
Page Six reported on November 5, 2026, that a source heard secondhand gossip claiming Josh O'Connor had already been chosen as the next James Bond actor. The claim came from an unnamed colleague of O'Connor's from his show Golden Boy, shared during a night out at a London pub called The French House. No studio, producer, or representative has confirmed any of it.
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What the pub source actually claimed about the next James Bond actor
According to Page Six, the source ran into a cast member from Golden Boy after the show's run wrapped on Halloween. Fans stopped the group for selfies, and the conversation kept going in private afterward. After a few pints, the colleague reportedly got loose-lipped and said O'Connor had locked down the role. The source described this person as "adamant" that the 36-year-old actor was the one picked.
That's the entire basis for the claim. There's no casting memo, no contract leak, no studio confirmation, and not even a direct quote from O'Connor admitting it. It's one person's account of what another person said after drinking. That doesn't make it fake, but it does mean it should be treated as gossip, not fact, until Amazon MGM Studios says otherwise.
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Josh O'Connor's own words tell a different story
Just two days before the pub story broke, O'Connor spoke to the BBC and addressed the swirling Bond talk directly. He called the rumors "extraordinary" and said he felt "very honored" to even be mentioned alongside the role. Notice what he didn't say. He never confirmed landing the part, and he never denied being in the running either.
That careful, neutral answer lines up with how actors usually handle Bond speculation before anything is official. Jack Lowden, another name in the mix, reportedly called the whole situation "flattering" too. Neither actor has said the words "I got the role" or "I did not get the role."
Pierce Brosnan throws his support behind Callum Turner
While the O'Connor pub story was spreading, former Bond star Pierce Brosnan gave a very public boost to a different contender. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Brosnan praised Callum Turner, who he worked with on the film The Only Living Boy in New York. Brosnan said, "Callum, Callum Turner is someone I've worked with, and he's so strong."
Brosnan played James Bond in four films between 1995 and 2002, so his opinion carries weight in Bond fan circles. But he was careful to frame it as admiration, not inside knowledge. He reportedly said he respects all the actors being talked about for the role, which makes his comment an endorsement rather than proof that Turner has won anything.
Four names, one final decision still pending
Multiple outlets, including Deseret and the Independent, report that the search for the next James Bond actor has narrowed to four finalists: Josh O'Connor, Callum Turner, Jack Lowden, and one more actor whose name hasn't leaked publicly. Reports say final screen tests took place in October 2026, testing things like stunt work, line delivery, and general screen presence.
This whole search started after Daniel Craig's last Bond film, No Time to Die, came out in 2021. Amazon MGM Studios took full control of the franchise in February 2025, ending the arrangement that had long given Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson creative control through Eon Productions. Director Denis Villeneuve, known for Dune, has reportedly been attached to lead the new film for close to a year, with some chatter pointing to a possible 2028 release, though nothing is locked in.
Why nobody should treat this as confirmed casting news yet
O'Connor has built serious momentum in recent years, from playing Prince Charles in The Crown to his role in Challengers. He also has a connection worth noting: casting director Nina Gold worked with him on The Crown and also cast Jack Lowden in Slow Horses, so she clearly knows the talent pool well. None of that confirms the pub story, but it explains why his name keeps surfacing.
Until Amazon MGM Studios makes an actual announcement, every name floating around, O'Connor, Turner, or Lowden, remains speculation dressed up as near-certainty. Reports suggest fans could get an official answer before the end of 2026, but there's no confirmed date. For now, the smartest way to read this story is simple: Josh O'Connor is a real contender for the next James Bond actor role, a pub rumor claims he already won it, and the only people who can confirm that haven't said a word.
