The youths have so many internet boyfriends and crushes, I can’t always keep up with them. For several years, Callum Turner has been in the mix. He’s 35 years old, which surprised me because I thought he was probably 27-28. His CV is full of supporting roles and the occasional lead, and I would certainly argue that his biggest claim to fame is not for his acting career, but rather his love life. He’s currently engaged to Dua Lipa, and he’s always heavily featured on her social media. To be fair, they seem very much in love and they also seem well-suited for each other. Well, here’s an interesting rumor going around: sources claim Callum is now the odds-on favorite to play James Bond.

The quest to find the next James Bond may be over. Sources have told The Mail on Sunday that Callum Turner – the bookies’ odds-on favourite to take over from Daniel Craig – has been telling friends the role is his. One source close to the Fantastic Beasts star said: ‘He’s been blabbing all over town. Callum is the new Bond, it’s been confirmed. Everyone in his circle is talking about it. It’s the worst-kept secret going.’

If Turner, 35, does pick up 007’s famous Walther PPK pistol, producers at Amazon may seal a two-for-one deal with Turner’s fiancée, pop star Dua Lipa, to create a new song for the opening and closing credits. Lipa, 30, who previously wrote Swan Song for the 2019 sci-fi movie Alita: Battle Angel, is eager to join the Bond juggernaut, following the likes of Adele, Billie Eilish and Sam Smith. The source said: ‘Dua is over the moon for Callum. She’s been saying she’d love to record the Bond theme.’

Turner, who was raised on a London council estate, started his career as a Next model before getting his big break playing Theseus Scamander in the Harry Potter spin-off prequel movie Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and its follow-up The Secrets of Dumbledore. He earned critical acclaim for his role in the 2023 film The Boys In The Boat, directed by George Clooney, and as Major John ‘Bucky’ Egan in the Apple TV show Masters Of The Air, produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.

He and Lipa started dating in January 2024 before getting engaged last summer. The couple have not announced a wedding date. They fuelled rumours that Turner could be taking on the mantle of Bond by going on holiday to Goldeneye in Jamaica, the former estate of Bond author Ian Fleming. A source said: ‘If it is Callum then he’d be a popular pick. He has the looks and sophistication for Bond and he has proved his acting chops.’

The next 007 film, known only as Bond 26 as it’s the 26th in the franchise, is one of Hollywood’s most hotly anticipated films, since it has been four years since No Time To Die. It could start filming this year for a 2027 release. Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, who controlled the franchise through their Eon Productions, sold the Bond rights for a reported $1 billion to Amazon in February last year.

Amazon boss Jeff Bezos is a ‘massive fan’ of the spy and a source within his company told the MoS: ‘Jeff is closely involved in all aspects of taking Bond forward. He doesn’t want to mess this up. He knows what an important place Bond holds in people’s hearts. Whoever is chosen to be Bond has to be perfect. The script has to be sensational. It has to have all the elements of Bond, like great action sequences and gorgeous Bond girls, while making it fresh and exciting for a new generation.’

Bond 26 is being written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight and will be overseen by Dune director Denis Villeneuve.

[From The Daily Mail]

“He’s been blabbing all over town” – that would have been dealt with swiftly back in Barbara Broccoli’s day. She HATED whenever young actors spilled details about meetings or casting decisions. But this is a new era with Jeff Bezos in control of the franchise. Callum does hit that sweet spot of being the right age for it, having the physicality for it, not being too pretty, and being thoroughly British. I mean, look at him. That’s a very British face. Am I the only one who thinks he has a sort of Andy Murray vibe? I mean that as a compliment – I find Andy Murray attractive, sexy even, but I fully admit that Andy has good angles and bad angles. Same with Callum.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Avalon Red.