‘Slow Horses’ Star Jack Lowden (36) and Callum Turner (36) Are Now Deadlocked in the Race To Become the Next James Bond
The hunt for the next James Bond has become one of Hollywood’s longest-running guessing games, and with every passing week, fans grow more restless for an answer. Amazon MGM Studios now holds creative control of the franchise, with Amy Pascal and David Heyman producing the 26th official film, ‘Dune’ director Denis Villeneuve at the helm, and ‘Peaky Blinders’ creator Steven Knight writing the script.
The search itself has been notably deliberate. Pascal told Deadline the team is taking a very methodical approach and that a year-end announcement is a safe bet, while casting director Nina Gold has been helping guide the process. With production expected to kick off in 2027 ahead of a planned 2028 release, the clock is starting to tick.
That uncertainty has turned prediction markets into a real-time pulse check on fan expectations. Prediction platform Kalshi has now reported that Jack Lowden and Callum Turner are tied at 32% each to land the coveted role, with Josh O’Connor trailing just behind at 23% in a market that has drawn more than $2.5 million in trading volume.
The tie marks a notable shift from just a few weeks ago. In early October, Kalshi’s own market report had Lowden out in front at 44%, with Turner at 39% and Jack O’Connell well back at 11%.
Part of the turbulence may come from expectations that went unmet. Global James Bond Day passed on October 5 without a casting reveal, and a separate contract tied to O’Connor jumped roughly 27 points in a single day shortly afterward, despite no official news driving the move.
JUST IN: Jack Lowden and Callum Turner are tied in the odds to become the next James Bond https://t.co/XYIlyxM5qz
— Kalshi (@Kalshi) October 18, 2026
The Scottish actor has been gathering steam for months. Lowden won an Olivier Award and earned 2 Emmy nominations for playing River Cartwright in ‘Slow Horses’, a resume that already places him squarely in the spy genre.
His odds tightened after presenter Richard Osman claimed on his podcast that Lowden’s was the name he had heard, though Osman cautioned it wasn’t a sure thing. Lowden’s ‘Slow Horses’ co-star Gary Oldman added fuel in September, saying in a Canadian TV interview that the producers had made their choice and that he was hoping it was Lowden. If cast, he would become the first Scottish Bond since Sean Connery.
Turner, meanwhile, has never really dropped out of the conversation. The British actor is known for ‘Emma’, the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ franchise, ‘The Boys in the Boat’ and the miniseries ‘Masters of the Air’, and he previously topped bookmakers’ lists as the favorite to take over from Daniel Craig.
He has kept quiet on the subject, declining to comment when Esquire asked about the speculation. George Clooney, who directed him in ‘The Boys in the Boat’, has openly said he hopes Turner gets the part, and the actor’s recent marriage to Dua Lipa has only added to the buzz around his name.
The race is far from a 2-man contest, at least on paper. Page Six reported that Jack Barton, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal, Turner, Lowden and Harris Dickinson were all set for screen tests, with Turner and Lowden described as 2 of the strongest names in the mix.
O’Connor’s presence in the top 3 is a reminder of how quickly fortunes can shift. ‘The Crown’ and ‘Challengers’ star once led bookmakers’ odds before fading, and he previously suggested the rumors started from a joke he made ahead of an interview with Craig.
Ultimately, betting markets reflect speculation rather than insider confirmation, and Amazon MGM has said only that it will share news with fans when the time is right. Until Villeneuve’s choice is officially unveiled, every rumor, podcast claim, and market swing will keep fueling the debate.
Who would you like to see become the next James Bond?
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