Jack Barton, the British actor recognized for supporting roles in Heartstopper and SAS: Rogue Heroes, has unexpectedly develop into one of many names on the heart of the newest seek for the subsequent James Bond.
Page Six reported, citing unnamed sources, that Barton has emerged as a very robust risk among the many lesser-known actors being thought-about by director Denis Villeneuve and casting director Nina Gold. The outlet stated display exams involving a number of reported candidates are anticipated to start in early September.
The identical report named Jack Lowden, Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal and Harris Dickinson amongst actors anticipated to check. None of these names, together with Barton, has been confirmed by Amazon MGM Studios, and the studio has not publicly introduced a shortlist or testing schedule.
Amazon’s official place stays significantly narrower. In Might, the studio stated solely that “the seek for the subsequent James Bond is underway” and that it could not focus on particular casting particulars whereas the method continues.
Jack Barton Has a A lot Decrease Profile Than the Different Reported Contenders
Barton educated on the Oxford College of Drama earlier than constructing a display resume that has thus far positioned him principally in supporting roles. He’s recognizable to Heartstopper viewers as David Nelson, the older brother of Package Connor’s Nick Nelson, and appeared briefly as Fop 1 in Yorgos Lanthimos’s Poor Issues.
His most substantial action-oriented function got here as real-life British officer John Tonkin within the second season of the BBC drama SAS: Rogue Heroes. In a Gentleman’s Journal interview, Barton stated he researched Tonkin extensively and spoke with the officer’s daughter earlier than filming as a result of he felt strain to painting somebody with such a big wartime historical past precisely.
Barton additionally described being nervous when he joined a solid that included Connor Swindells, Jack O’Connell and Dominic West. The collection was created and written by Knight, who’s now writing the subsequent Bond screenplay.
Six Actors Are Reportedly Being Lined Up for Display Checks
Web page Six reported that Barton is a part of a wider group anticipated to screen-test in early September alongside Lowden, Turner, Elordi, Mescal and Dickinson. The actors would signify very totally different approaches to changing Daniel Craig, starting from Barton’s comparatively low public profile to stars who have already got main worldwide followings.
Lowden has spent a number of seasons enjoying intelligence officer River Cartwright in Gradual Horses, whereas Turner starred in Masters of the Air. Elordi, Mescal and Dickinson have every moved between status movies and bigger studio initiatives, making all 5 significantly extra established internationally than Barton.
The Playlist subsequently reported that Jack O’Connell is one other title it continues to listen to in reference to the search. The outlet went additional, saying its sources had heard the sphere would possibly at the moment be all the way down to Barton, Lowden and both O’Connell or Turner, whereas cautioning that “a number of names are flying round quick in the intervening time.”
A Former Bond Casting Director Desires the Subsequent 007 to Be a ‘Complete Enigma’
Barton’s relative anonymity occurs to match the choice expressed by Debbie McWilliams, who labored on 13 Bond movies over 4 many years and helped solid Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. McWilliams has retired and isn’t concerned in selecting Craig’s successor.
In a June interview with The Independent, McWilliams argued that it’s “completely important” for Bond to retain a “whole enigma.” She stated in depth public information about an actor’s personal life could make it tougher for audiences to simply accept that particular person as a undercover agent.
McWilliams identified that Dalton and Brosnan weren’t main international stars earlier than taking the function and that Craig, regardless of a longtime performing profession, was not but a family title. Her choice for the subsequent Bond was any person “utterly out of the blue.”
Amazon Has Confirmed the Filmmakers, Not the New Bond
Amazon MGM Studios units Denis Villeneuve as director of subsequent James Bond movie.
Tanya Lapointe will function government producer. As beforehand introduced, Amy Pascal and David Heyman will function producers. pic.twitter.com/E27wlBRuFI
— James Bond (@007) June 26, 2025
Amazon MGM announced Villeneuve as director in June 2025, a number of months after closing a three way partnership with longtime Bond custodians Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson that gave the studio artistic management of the franchise. Pascal and Heyman had already been named as producers, with Lapointe serving as government producer. Knight joined as screenwriter the next month. Amazon has not introduced the film’s title, launch date or lead actor.
