Looks Like the Next James Bond Is 36 Years Old

Idris Elba aged out of the James Bond rumors. Aaron Taylor-Johnson aged out of the James Bond rumors. But Amazon and Denis Villeneuve be damned, they will not let Callum Turner, Josh O’Connor, Jack Lowden, or a mysterious fourth candidate for the new James Bond age out of the James Bond rumors. On October 22, Deadline reported that final James Bond screen tests would be taking place for the role of 007 in the rebooted franchise. Turner and Lowden have been in the conversation for a while, with Lowden’s IRL spouse unfortunately now taking questions on his behalf. O’Connor is something of a dark-horse pick, given his penchant for art-house directors minus that one film he did for up-and-comer Steven Spielberg. That fourth mystery slot could be anyone — Jack O’Connell? Harry Lawtey? — but one person it’s not, apparently, is Jacob Elordi. Besides, Elordi is probably too tall for Bond. You can’t be statuesque and incognito.

There had been a thought once Craig retired as 007 that this rebooted version of the franchise would focus on a younger Bond, one who would appeal to “the youths” and give the franchise a much-needed jolt of energy, but the three finalists we know of are all 36, which means none of these potential spies will be wide-legged-pants-wearing zoomer types with wired headphones. Maybe that’s fine! But an unknown, baby-faced Bond who slowly becomes cynical over the course of the franchise could have been a fun idea. We could have literally watched the life and collagen drain from someone’s face. Now we have to see Mr. Saoirse Ronan go up against Mr. Dua Lipa go up against Mr. Alison Oliver (they’re not married, but you get it). Maybe one day we’ll get a one-act play about all of them hanging out, waiting to learn whose life is about to become significantly more annoying.