Final contenders for new James Bond have been revealed – and Jacob Elordi isn't one of them

After years of speculation, it seems we may finally be on the verge of finding out who the next James Bond will be. Five years on from Daniel Craig's last hurrah in No Time To Die, who'll take over as 007?

Chatter has intensified in recent months, since it was confirmed that casting is underway. Now, reports in multiple major US industry publications suggest a final batch of actors is being invited to screen-test over the coming days, and a decision may be imminent.

First-round auditions were allegedly held over the summer, and now just a handful of names remain in the mix. So, if these latest reports are accurate, who's in and who's out?

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According to Deadline, sources have revealed that four actors remain in the running – and while one is unknown, three of them are Jack Lowden, Callum Turner and Josh O'Connor.

The Hollywood Reporter, meanwhile, says that up to five are in the fold, and backs-up the claim that Lowden and Turner are among them. Names of any other candidates remain a mystery for the time being.

The latter publication adds that Jacob Elordi, someone who has been continuously linked to the part, is not being screen-tested. He was linked to the role just yesterday, when a report from TheInsider claimed Amazon MGM had seriously considered him.

Jack O'Connell, also previously thought to be in the running, is also allegedly not part of the process as things stand.

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Other names that have been in the mix over recent years have included Aaron Pierre, Richard Madden, Harris Dickinson, James Norton, Theo James, Idris Elba and Sunset Boulevard stage star Tom Francis.

Producer Amy Pascal claimed over the summer that an announcement could be made before the end of the year, and Amazon previously said in a statement: “The search for the next James Bond is underway. 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."

Dune's Denis Villeneuve is on board to direct the next film in the series, while Steven Knight – famed for Peaky Blinders – is on writing duty.

Last month, Knight was asked if he had an actor in mind when penning his draft, and said: "It does make life a little bit easier if you know who that person is, but also you have to write the character, not the actor."

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Shaun is an Evening News Editor at Digital Spy, with over a decade of experience reporting on all things pop culture. He has written for outlets including Metro, Attitude, Huffington Post, The Mirror, Yahoo!, Pink News and Express Online, specialising in TV, movies, soaps, music and LGBTQ+ issues. He is also a BAFTA Rocliffe-winning scriptwriter, having written episodes of the soap Hollyoaks, the official Steps musical Here & Now and multiple Offie Award-nominated plays. He studied English Literature and Drama at the University of East Anglia, and will happily talk at length about Desperate Housewives to anyone who'll listen.