Ten days after final screentests for the most coveted role in British cinema, Callum Turner has emerged as a strong favorite to play James Bond in Denis Villeneuve's forthcoming film, according to The Guardian.
William Hill cut the odds of Turner being named the next Bond from 3/1 to 8/13, with previous favorite Jack Lowden now at 2/1. Josh O'Connor, who also auditioned recently, is at 9/2, while Richard Madden, Robert Pattinson and Joe Alwyn are at 16/1.
The shift followed news that Turner had resigned as director of Twentytwo Films Ltd, the production company he founded last August with his wife, the musician Dua Lipa. Some took that as a sign his movie priorities may now lie elsewhere. Over the weekend the couple also posted photographs of themselves dressed for Halloween sipping martinis, Bond's signature cocktail.
Pierce Brosnan, who played Bond, endorsed Turner in an interview with Vanity Fair, saying the two had worked together and that Turner is "so strong." Brosnan played Turner's father in the 2017 drama The Only Living Boy in New York. Producer Amy Pascal has said an announcement is likely by the end of the year. It is not known how soon the production company behind the 26th film in the series will announce its choice.