Two major British actors have reportedly been ruled out of the race to become the next James Bond, as the mystery surrounding 007’s replacement deepens.
Five years after Daniel Craig handed in his licence to kill, the search for his successor has become something of a spy thriller itself, complete with secret identities, competing theories and an increasingly suspicious number of handsome British men.
Now, Harris Dickinson and Nicholas Hoult are understood to have been eliminated as contenders for a mysterious fourth spot on the shortlist, as the producers behind the next Bond film reportedly narrow down their options.
According to reports, four actors were invited to undergo final screen tests at London’s Bray Studios, with Slow Horses star Jack Lowden, Fantastic Beasts actor Callum Turner and The Crown’s Josh O’Connor believed to be among them.
But the identity of the fourth candidate remains a closely guarded secret, and naturally, the internet has taken it upon itself to crack the case.
The Hollywood Reporter previously indicated that neither Dickinson, 30, nor Hoult, 36, was the elusive fourth actor, despite both having been linked to the iconic role.
Dickinson, who starred opposite Nicole Kidman in Babygirl, currently has his hands full playing John Lennon in Sam Mendes’ ambitious four-film Beatles project.
Hoult, meanwhile, is hardly short of work himself, with several films in the pipeline, including the Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, which will see him return as villain Lex Luthor.
They join a growing collection of actors whose names have been thrown into the Bond conversation, only to apparently fall by the wayside.
Jacob Elordi and Jack O’Connell are also reportedly not taking part in the latest round of auditions, while previous fan favourites Idris Elba, Theo James and James Norton have yet to emerge among the reported finalists.
One particularly intriguing possibility is Jack Barton, a relatively unfamiliar name compared with the Hollywood heavyweights who have spent years being suggested for the role.
The 31-year-old has appeared in Netflix’s Heartstopper as David Nelson, alongside roles in SAS: Rogue Heroes and the Oscar-winning Poor Things.
Barton has previously been tipped as a surprise contender, amid suggestions producers could favour a less established actor over someone whose face is already plastered across every cinema billboard in the country.
But there is another name circulating online, and this one comes with an unexpected Taylor Swift connection.
Some fans are convinced the mystery man could be Joe Alwyn, 35, who dated the pop superstar for six years before their split in 2023.
The theory centres on Bond casting director Nina Gold, who has previously worked with Alwyn, leading amateur sleuths to wonder whether he might have received an invitation to audition.
One Reddit user argued: ‘Nina Gold was one of the casting directors for Thor, too, and cast Joe in his first movie role. She knows him as far back as drama school.’
Another added: ‘Never thought about him as a contender before, but it makes sense.’
Of course, there is currently no evidence that Alwyn has actually auditioned, and his apparent candidacy remains firmly in the realm of fan speculation.
Whoever eventually emerges victorious will have some rather enormous shoes to fill.
Craig bowed out with 2021’s No Time To Die, ending a five-film run that began with Casino Royale in 2006.
The next instalment will be directed by Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight writing the screenplay, marking the first Bond film since Amazon MGM Studios assumed creative control of the franchise.