Credit: Inside the MagicJack Lowden could be the next James Bond, according to a series of increasingly confident reports and comments surrounding Amazon MGM’s upcoming 007 reboot.
Lowden is best known for playing River Cartwright in Apple TV+’s spy thriller Slow Horses, where he stars alongside Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight). He also appeared in the taut 2018 thriller Calibre, playing a man whose hunting trip to the Scottish Highlands takes a horrifying turn.
Related: James Bond Officially Removed as Main Character in New 007 Reboot
Is Jack Lowden the New James Bond?
The actor has been linked to the Bond role for some time, with his name most recently appearing on a reported shortlist of contenders. But the speculation has intensified in recent weeks, with several figures in the industry suggesting that Amazon MGM may already have made its choice.
Richard Osman, the English presenter and novelist, first claimed that he had been told “for definite” who the new Bond is. “The name I’ve heard is Jack Lowden,” Osman said on his The Rest Is Entertainment podcast (via Metro). Although he went on to say, “It is definitively not a ‘he’s definitely got it’ thing. He is definitely being strongly considered. I think he’d be amazing.”
Lowden was subsequently named among a reported group of contenders shared by Page Six. The shortlist included Jack Barton (Heartstopper), Callum Turner (Eternity), Jacob Elordi (Wuthering Heights), Paul Mescal (Gladiator II), and Harris Dickinson (Triangle of Sadness).
There’s also an intriguing connection involving Lowden’s wife, Saoirse Ronan (See How They Run). The Oscar-nominated actress recently told Empire that she wants to play a Bond villain, explaining that she would love the chance to portray a young female antagonist in the franchise.
That obviously doesn’t confirm anything about Lowden’s casting, but it would make for an interesting pairing if he does become 007. It also leaves us wondering whether Ronan only mentioned Bond because she knew or suspected her husband had been cast in the role in Amazon MGM’s film.
Then, earlier this week, Gary Oldman, Lowden’s Slow Horses co-star, appeared to provide the biggest clue yet during an appearance on Canada’s The Morning Show (via The Hollywood Reporter).
When asked about the Bond speculation, Oldman acknowledged the rumor that Lowden was on the shortlist. “It’s been rumored that [Lowden] is on the shortlist,” he said, adding, “We’re going to find out pretty soon, aren’t we? Because they have picked him. They have made their choice, but they have not announced it yet. So my fingers are crossed for Jack.”
Following Oldman’s comments, fans took to Reddit to discuss the possibility of Lowden donning the iconic tux.
Some comments have been edited for accuracy.
Another agrees, writing, “Agree. Actual charisma and a quiet authority. I can back it.”
A third jokes that Slow Horses could serve as a prequel to the new Bond film, saying, “I would love to see Lowden as Bond, because then Slow Horses would essentially be Smiley schooling Bond, which would be pretty apt.”
“He has been playing Bond for years, in River’s head,” another quips, referring to Lowden’s Slow Horses character River Cartwright.
Then, on Tuesday, Steven Knight, the Peaky Blinders creator writing the new Bond movie, also hinted that the actor has already been selected. “I cannot speak about this subject,” he said when asked about the casting on BBC Radio 4’s Today program (via The Independent), before later acknowledging that knowing the chosen actor makes writing the character “a little bit easier.”
For now, despite being chosen as a favorite to play 007 by presenters, co-stars, and Bond fans, Lowden has not been announced as James Bond.
Of course, that could change in the coming minutes, hours, days, and weeks.
Amazon MGM has only confirmed that Denis Villeneuve (the Dune films) is directing, with Knight writing and Amy Pascal (Spider-Man: Brand New Day) and David Heyman (the Harry Potter films) producing. Nina Gold, who, interestingly, is also the casting director for Slow Horses, has been involved in the casting search for the new 007 actor since May.
If the reports are accurate, however, the search for Daniel Craig’s replacement may already be over — and 007 could soon be heading from Slow Horses‘ dingy MI5 Slough House to MI6.
Could Jack Lowden really be the next James Bond? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
