Callum Turner odds slashed as Pierce Brosnan praises actor

Callum Turner has emerged as the frontrunner to play James Bond, with his betting odds slashed to 8/13 as former 007 actor Pierce Brosnan endorsed his former on-screen son, theguardian.com reported.

Ten days after final screentests for the 26th film in the franchise, bookmaker William Hill cut Turner’s odds from 3/1. Jack Lowden shifted to 2/1, while Josh O’Connor sits at 9/2, and Richard Madden, Robert Pattinson, and Joe Alwyn are listed at 16/1.

Speculation intensified after news broke over the weekend that Turner resigned as director of his production company, Twentytwo Films Ltd. He founded the firm last August with his wife, musician Dua Lipa.

Brosnan weighed in during a Vanity Fair interview, praising the actor he worked with on the 2017 drama The Only Living Boy in New York. “Callum, Callum Turner is someone I’ve worked with, and he’s so strong,” Brosnan told the outlet.

“All the men who are on the list now are actors I admire,” Brosnan added in the same interview. “They all have a voice and a physique, and a presence on film. They all have longevity as actors, all of these young men.”

How the Contenders React to the Rumours

O’Connor addressed the casting talk in an interview with British GQ, calling the attention “all very flattering” and noting it is nice to be mentioned for any role, while adding that he would not add to the noise. He described being considered in that bracket as an extraordinary and bizarre pinch-me moment.

Producer Amy Pascal stated that an official casting announcement will likely arrive by the end of the year for the film, which is scheduled for release in 2028.

What Lies Ahead for the Amazon MGM Franchise

The upcoming production follows Amazon MGM Studios taking creative control of the franchise in 2025. Denis Villeneuve signed on to direct the feature, with Steven Knight writing the screenplay and Pascal and David Heyman producing.

Broccoli previously noted that the next James Bond will be a man in his 30s, though whiteness is not guaranteed. Meanwhile, Turner’s recent screen credits include George Clooney’s 2023 rowing drama The Boys in the Boat and the 2025 romcom Eternity.

Whether Turner secures the tux or another contender steps into the role, the studio has yet to confirm an exact announcement date.

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