Why is there so much speculation over the next James Bond?

He’s been a man on a mission for more than 60 years - but why is the choice of a new James Bond actor still such big news? News sites and socials have been full of the different actors who could take over the role from Daniel Craig, with a shortlist of those who were said to be auditioning making headlines news.

It’s unusual for this to be a news story as auditions tend to be private with only the actor who gets the job being named once they are cast. Image caption, Daniel Craig was the most recent actor to play James Bond in an official film - but who will be the next 007? Who is the new James Bond?

We don't know. Yet. BBC News reported in October that actors Callum Turner, Jack Lowden and Josh O’Connor were thought to be those involved in the final auditions, although this was based on reports in other entertainment news sites and not official statements from Amazon MGM Studios, who now run the James Bond film series, or any of the production team involved in choosing the new 007.

That hasn’t stopped plenty of names being mentioned on socials. Gladiator II star Paul Mescal has been linked with Bond, as has Aaron Taylor-Johnson from the MCU, Twilight favourite Robert Pattinson and Harris Dickinson - who has been filming the forthcoming autobiographical films about The Beatles, where he plays John Lennon - with Mescal as Paul McCartney.

Even a potential connection with the role can generate increased interest and scrutiny for an actor. Google searches for Callum Turner doubled in the last week in the UK alone, and after weekend rumours that Robert Pattinson has screen tested for the role, searches for his name to increase by over 1,500%.

Without firm announcements to satisfy that level of interest, fans are engaging in intense speculation about the casting, discussing why they think particular actors would be a great - or terrible - choice. Image caption, Josh O'Connor, Jack Lowden and Callum Turner are just three names that have been thrown into the spotlight amidst 007 casting speculation.

Why are we enjoying the Bond speculation? Until an official announcement is made, nobody will know for definite who the next Bond is, so why are some people enjoying the speculation so much? BBC Bitesize Other Side of the Story spoke to Professor Douglas Martin, head of the School of Psychology at the University of Aberdeen.

He explained that due to the international popularity of the films, Bond has become such a big part of our culture that journalists know any sort of report speculating about who will play the character will attract a larger audience than other entertainment stories. Even if you aren’t a James Bond fan yourself, you’re likely to know someone who is - so it’s a handy topic to drop into a conversation and form a connection with someone.

Do we feel that we know who James Bond is? On the huge interest in wanting to know who is up for the role, Prof Martin said: “Over decades of films, books and popular culture, many of us have built up a detailed mental picture of what James Bond should be like: how he should look, sound, think, and behave.

These mental templates, what psychologists often call schemas, help us organise our knowledge about the world. “As soon as an actor's name is mentioned in relation to James Bond, we automatically compare that person against our schema for the character. If an actor doesn't fit our mental template, it can feel jarring.

Because the character has been portrayed in similar ways for decades, many people's schema of Bond includes some relatively fixed physical, cultural, and personality characteristics.” Why are there negative reactions to some names on the Bond shortlist? There has been a negative reaction to some names that are reportedly on the shortlist.

One poster on TikTok said that Callum Turner would be a “boring choice” as he has a James Bond ‘look’ and they hoped for something more original. Prof Martin said: “For many, speculation about the identity of the next Bond is strengthened by the parasocial relationships they form with a particular portrayal of the character.

“Parasocial relationships are one-sided emotional connections that people develop with individuals they know only through films, television, or social media . Many viewers will have formed a strong attachment to a particular actor's version of Bond. As a result, when a new actor is suggested, they are judged not only against the character itself, but also against the emotional connection audiences have developed with previous incarnations.

"Many people have already decided who the 'real' Bond is. Speculation about the next Bond become about more than casting, it can feel like a challenge to people's personal memories and emotional investments in the version of Bond they grew up with.” Image caption, You can't please everyone - it seems every actor to have been rumoured for the role of James Bond so far will have his critics no matter what...

Are we just nosey about who plays Bond? Let's say you’re not a massive Bond fan, you may not have seen a single 007 movie, but you’re still intrigued over who gets the part. Why?

Prof Martin says it has something to do with the final announcement remaining unknown - for now. “Speculation about the next actor to play James Bond is also fuelled by our deep-seated desire to know what the future holds,” he said. “Modern psychology increasingly views the brain as a prediction machine, constantly generating expectations about the world around us and updating them in light of new information.

Asking the question, 'Who will be the next James Bond?', creates an information gap that our minds are driven to fill. “It is the same reason people love clickbait headlines , whodunnits , and cliffhanger endings . The longer the question remains unanswered, the more compelling it becomes, drawing our attention back repeatedly as we search for clues that might help us predict the outcome.” Searching for clues?

We know a secret agent who could help with that. If only they’d announce who is playing him... This article was published in November 2026