Who almost became James Bond: a casting retrospective against the backdrop of choosing the new 007

The choice of the new 007 is nearing its conclusion

The announcement of the actor who will succeed Daniel Craig as James Bond has been delayed for years, but now, according to Euronews, the shortlist has been revealed, and the announcement is «days or weeks» away. Three names are being mentioned — Jack Lowden, Callum Turner and Josh O’Connor — while the outlet allows that the role could also go to «an unknown actor who will surprise everyone». According to Euronews, some of the candidates’ screen-test recordings have already leaked online.

The exact date is unknown, but the timeframe is set

No exact schedule for finalizing the casting of «Bond 26» has been given. All that is known is that the decision will be made in 2026: producer Amy Pascal said in August that «the end of the year is a good bet» for the official announcement. The film will be directed by the Canadian Denis Villeneuve, a four-time Oscar nominee, with the screenplay written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. It will be the first film of the franchise after full creative control passed to Amazon from the series’ longtime custodians, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Production is expected in 2027, with release in 2028.

The long list of those who never became Bond

Against the backdrop of the final stage of casting, Euronews published a retrospective of actors who were considered or auditioned for the role of 007 throughout the franchise’s history. Cary Grant was seen as the ideal candidate for the first Bond, but said that at 58 he was too old for Dr. No (1962) and did not want to commit to a multi-picture contract. Michael Caine, according to reports, received an offer in 1967 after Sean Connery’s departure but turned it down, explaining that he «always played real people», while Bond was «a glamorous, fictional creature». Clint Eastwood, in his words from a Los Angeles Times interview, declined the offer because he believed Bond should be British: «That’s Sean’s business».

Refusals, ultimatums and almost-Bonds

The list of missed opportunities also includes curious reasons. Michael Gambon turned down a role in Diamonds Are Forever (1971), considering himself not attractive enough. Liam Neeson told Rolling Stone that his beloved Natasha Richardson issued an ultimatum: «If you play James Bond, we’re not getting married». Christian Bale, according to The Daily Express, called Bond «an assemblage of all the disgusting stereotypes about England and British actors». Hugh Jackman negotiated for the role after Die Another Day, but the shooting schedule of X-Men 2 got in the way, and he himself felt the scripts had become «too implausible».

Candidates the producers rejected

Some hopefuls were filtered out by the producers themselves. Michael Billington, according to reports, made the shortlist three times — for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and Live And Let Die (1973) — and lost out each time, though he later played KGB agent Sergei Barsov in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). Lambert Wilson and the Croatian Goran Višnjić, who impressed Barbara Broccoli at his audition, faced doubts over their accents and their «non-Britishness». Henry Cavill, according to reports, made it to the final choice with Craig for Casino Royale: director Martin Campbell called his screen test «magnificent» but deemed the 22-year-old actor too young. Michael Fassbender, in the actor’s own words in a Hollywood Reporter interview, inadvertently ended up promoting Craig instead of himself during his own meeting with Broccoli.

The fate of Aaron Taylor-Johnson

The example of Aaron Taylor-Johnson is also telling: since 2022 his name had regularly surfaced in connection with the role, he was considered the frontrunner to be «the seventh Bond», and rumors circulated about completed screen tests and a «done deal». Now, Euronews notes, his name has «vanished from the 007 radars», despite isolated signs that he was still being considered. The outlet cautions that this is merely an impression based on publications: no official casting announcement has been made, and the final choice rests with the producers.