James Bond casting rumors have never been more intense. As of November 1, 2026, there are countless insider reports that suggest that several actors are still screen-testing for the role, while others may have exited the process altogether. While Men’s Journal reports on nearly all of these rumors, we’ve also tried to keep a level head and point out that nothing is “official” until we hear it from Amazon MGM or the new Bond actor himself. That said, one small piece of news from inside the entertainment industry could suggest a subtle shift in one actor’s priorities, which also may constitute a major tip-off.
“James Bond front-runner Callum Turner has quit the film company he founded with wife Dua Lipa as he remains in the race to become 007,” according to a report from The Daily Mail published on November 1. The publication reports that Turner has “resigned as a director of Twentytwo Films.” Twentytwo Films Limited was founded by Dua Lipa and Callum Turner in August 2025, and to date, has not produced any films.
But as the Mail speculates, and as other Bond fans have pointed out on Reddit and elsewhere, Turner resigning as director of this production company could mean he’s simply too busy to be a part of it, which could mean, of course, that his time will be occupied by starring in the next James Bond film.
This is by no means confirmed, but since the summer of 2026, Turner, as well as Jack Lowden, have remained the only two stars who have consistently been mentioned in various rumors. At this point, it seems all but confirmed that both men have auditioned for the role.
Callum Turner was last seen in the sex-charged comedy/romance film One Night Only. Meanwhile, his next major role is coming in January 2026, in which he’ll play the iconic Henry Dorsett Case (“Case” for short), the original cyberpunk hacker in Apple TV’s adaptation of the legendary William Gibson novel Neuromancer.
The next James Bond movie, the 26th official film overall, is currently in pre-production. The film is directed by Denis Villeneuve and will be his next film following this year’s Dune: Part Three. The script is from Steven Knight, the creator and mastermind behind Peaky Blinders, and the writer of the critically acclaimed Oasis documentary, Don’t Look Back in Anger.
Bond 26 does not yet have a title or a release date, though sometime in 2028 feels likely.
More James Bond
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- How Paul McCartney Wrote His Iconic Bond Song One Afternoon, Having Never Seen the Film’s Script
- 1964 ‘Astonishing’ Studio Session With Jimmy Page That Led to the Creation of One of the Best Bond Themes
- Margaret Qualley Odds-On Favorite to be Next Bond Girl
