Pierce Brosnan has given his blessing to Callum Turner, one of the actors reportedly in the final round of tests to become the next James Bond. In a new interview with Vanity Fair, reported on Tuesday, November 3, by Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, the former 007 called the British actor “so strong.”
What We Know
Vanity Fair asked Brosnan about the casting talk that has followed the franchise for months. He kept it diplomatic and said he now watches from the sidelines. “Oh, I’m just an audience member now,” he said.
He didn’t pick a winner, but he did single out Turner, whom he knows from set. “Callum Turner is someone I’ve worked with, and he’s so strong,” Brosnan said. The two acted together in the 2017 drama The Only Living Boy in New York.
Brosnan also had kind words for the rest of the field. “They all have a voice and a physique, and a presence on film,” he said, adding: “I eagerly await to hear the news and the celebration of the next James Bond.”
To be clear, nobody has been officially cast. Amazon MGM Studios has not announced its new 007, and neither Variety nor The Hollywood Reporter says a deal is done.
Background
According to both trade outlets, Turner and Slow Horses star Jack Lowden are among the actors who have screen-tested for the part, with final auditions believed to be taking place in London. The Hollywood Reporter notes that Lowden was the favourite in prediction markets before auditions last weekend, but that Turner has since reportedly moved ahead. Lowden told British GQ that the praise was “very flattering” and said he wouldn’t add to the speculation.
Other names floated over the past year include Josh O’Connor and Jacob Elordi. The role has been vacant since Daniel Craig wrapped his run with No Time to Die, a film that also featured Ana de Armas as the scene-stealing Paloma.
The next film is a major reset. Amazon MGM bought creative control of the franchise from the Broccoli family in February 2025, and producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman now oversee it. Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is directing, which clearly excites Brosnan. “I think we are going to be blown away. I really do,” he told the magazine.
Brosnan himself played Bond in four films between 1995 and 2002, from GoldenEye to Die Another Day. He has stayed busy since, recently appearing in the crime drama MobLand alongside Helen Mirren. When Mirren said she “never liked James Bond” and described the franchise as born out of “profound sexism,” Brosnan acknowledged “a certain agreement” with her while pointing to the room that exists within Ian Fleming’s framework, The Hollywood Reporter notes.
Why Turner Fits the Conversation
Turner, a Londoner, has built his profile through period dramas and prestige television, including the World War II series Masters of the Air. That mix of physicality and old-fashioned screen presence is exactly what Brosnan seemed to be describing. A word of support from a former 007 doesn’t decide anything, but it is the kind of endorsement that fuels fan enthusiasm while the studio stays quiet. Fans of the franchise’s recent era will also remember Mads Mikkelsen, whose villain Le Chiffre helped launch Craig’s tenure in Casino Royale.
What’s Next
All eyes are on Amazon MGM for an official announcement. Until the studio confirms its choice, Turner and Lowden remain reported contenders, not the new Bond. Whoever lands the role will work under Villeneuve on what is expected to be the first chapter of a new era for 007.
Sources
- Variety – Pierce Brosnan Approves of Callum Turner as James Bond
- The Hollywood Reporter – Pierce Brosnan Supports Callum Turner Being Cast as James Bond