Richard Osman has named Jack Lowden as a frontrunner to become the next James Bond, citing insider industry knowledge. Speaking on his Rest is Entertainment podcast, the presenter and author said the Slow Horses star is being strongly considered to succeed Daniel Craig as the iconic MI6 agent.
Osman's insider tip
"The name I've heard is Jack Lowden. It is definitively not a 'he's definitely got it' thing. He is definitely being strongly considered. I think he'd be amazing," Richard, who has plenty of contacts within the TV and movie industry, explained.
Jack has been steadily building the kind of résumé that makes a Bond audition feel credible. He’s best known as River Cartwright, the MI5 operative at the centre of Apple TV+’s Slow Horses, and he’s now taking on Mr Darcy in Netflix’s new Pride and Prejudice.
Lowden's credentials
Off-camera, meanwhile, he is known for being husband to four-time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan, known for her roles in Atonement, The Grand Budapest Hotel and Hanna.
There's no doubt that being as 007 would be the pinnacle of Jack's career. It would make him the first Scottish Bond since Sean Connery, who last wore the tuxedo in 1983’s Never Say Never Again and played the character seven times.
Bond has appeared in 27 films in total, with seven actors officially playing the MI6 agent over the years, from the campier outings with Roger Moore to the more grounded Timothy Dalton. In 2006, Bond took on a more serious, gritty shade when Daniel Craig took up the mantle for Casino Royale. He starred in five films in total, ending with 2021's No Time To Die, which also starred Rami Malek as the villain Dr Lyutsifer Safin.
Next steps for Bond
Amy Pascal, the producer of the new Bond films, reckons it's a "good bet" the new leading man will be unveiled before the year's out. Speaking to Deadline, she revealed: "I would say the end of the year is a good bet. We are being really, really methodical."
Having worked with Barbara Broccoli at the studio, I mean, Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow. And it's got to be something really different that is a stirring and exciting and different."
Bond’s long-time custodians Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have reportedly handed the franchise rights to Amazon, with production expected to start in 2027. Amazon MGM Studios, its entertainment division, issued a statement earlier this year. It read: "While we don't plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we're excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right."
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is writing the script. Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said he couldn’t reveal much about the top-secret project — but added he was "loving it".
