Turner Exits Film Company Amid 007 Screen Tests

Callum Turner resigned as a director of Twentytwo Films Ltd this week, a move that has intensified speculation about his candidacy for the next James Bond. The exit comes at the same time that screen tests for the role are reportedly underway. Turner had no prior connection to the franchise before these recent reports linked him to the part.

Turner and his wife, pop star Dua Lipa, launched Twentytwo Films Ltd in August of last year. They held equal shares in the company. The pair intended to develop film and television projects modeled after Margot Robbie’s production company, LuckyChap. There is no official confirmation that Turner’s departure is tied to the Bond casting process, but the timing is notable given the current activity at the studio.

The search for a successor to Daniel Craig began after Craig’s final appearance in No Time To Die in 2021. The casting process officially started in May of this year. According to The Wrap, the current shortlist includes Turner, Jack Lowden, and Josh O’Connor. An unnamed fourth actor is also being considered, though their identity has not been revealed.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that Jack O’Connell and Jacob Elordi will not participate in the upcoming screen tests. It remains unclear when the studio will announce an official decision on the new 007. In August, Amy Pascal, the producer of the next Bond film, told Deadline that the end of 2026 was a good bet for the announcement.

Pascal described the selection process as methodical. She noted that Daniel Craig is a difficult act to follow and that the next choice must be stirring, exciting, and different. The 26th installment in the franchise will be directed by Denis Villeneuve, who also directed Dune and Blade Runner 2049. Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, is writing the screenplay.

Jack Lowden, a co-star of Turner in the slow-burn drama Slow Horses, is also strongly linked to the role. Sir Gary Oldman, another co-star, recently suggested that Lowden had already been chosen and that an announcement could come soon. However, Lowden’s wife, Saoirse Ronan, downplayed the rumors. She told the Associated Press that the couple are focused on everyday life, such as walking their dog and making dinner.

Ronan added that the topic does not come up much in their house. She said, “I mean, well Gary Oldman thinks he's James Bond, which is its own thing.” The couple married in 2024 and welcomed their first child in September 2025. Lowden is currently filming his role in Slow Horses.

George Clooney, who directed Turner in The Boys in the Boat, publicly backed the actor for the part. Clooney said, “I hope Callum ends up being the next Bond. I think he would be a great Bond.” He described Turner as tall, handsome, charming, and British. Turner himself addressed the speculation in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, stating, “I know as much as you do, really, I know as much as you do.”

Other names mentioned in connection with the role include Harris Dickinson and Barry Keoghan. Keoghan recently said he did not think he fit the criteria for James Bond. He expressed a preference for playing a villain, saying, “The man teasing Bond, that’s more me.” Idris Elba also addressed his long-running link to the franchise. He told GQ that he never considered himself a realistic contender, noting that James Bond was written for a specific reason.

The studio has not confirmed a timeline for the final selection. The next Bond film is set to enter production following the conclusion of the casting process. Villeneuve and Knight are currently preparing the script and visual approach for the project. The industry awaits the official announcement, which Pascal suggested could arrive before the year ends.