For months, we’ve heard about Amazon-MGM’s hunt for the new James Bond. Denis Villeneuve is already booked as the director, and Denis (plus the Amazon team) have spent months interviewing and auditioning potential Bond actors. Allegedly, there’s a shortlist which includes Harris Dickinson, Jacob Elordi, Callum Turner and Jack Lowden. Well, first off, Puck News claimed, a few days ago, that the “shortlist” circulating is false:

Test deals are going out for the actors vying to play James Bond for Amazon MGM. Those lists of contenders circulating online are bogus, but in the next couple weeks we should know who’s actually gonna formally audition for director Denis Villeneuve. The tests won’t happen until later this fall, so anyone who says they know who Bond is now… doesn’t.

[From Puck]

Which sounded reasonable to me, because I don’t think Elordi and Turner are genuinely on anyone’s shortlist either. I also think that when Denis really culls it down to two or three candidates, we’ll probably know about it. Like, someone will leak it to see the response to the candidates. Well, now there’s a new wrinkle: Gary Oldman says that Bond has already been cast!

Gary Oldman has claimed that the next James Bond has been decided. In an interview with Canada’s Global, Oldman backed his Slow Horses co-star Jack Lowden to play 007, saying he had his “fingers crossed” for the Scottish actor.

Oldman said: “It’s been rumored that he’s on the shortlist. We’re going to find out pretty soon, aren’t we? Because they have picked him. They have made their choice, but they have not announced it yet. So my fingers are crossed for Jack.”

It’s not clear from Oldman’s comments whether he means that Lowden has been cast as Bond, or whether he is talking more generally about Amazon MGM Studios alighting on Ian Fleming’s secret agent.

[From Deadline]

I’m laughing because so many outlets were running this as, like, a hard confirmation or a real casting announcement. When really, this is just Gary Oldman talking out of his ass and being sweet to his costar. Oldman wants to see Jack Lowden get the part, and Oldman is trying to speak it into existence. He does not have any insider information!

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.