- - Callum Turner Is the Frontrunner of the James Bond Race. What Does That Mean For 007?

Henry WongJanuary 8, 2026 at 2:35 AM

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With a new year, comes new Bond... hopefully. It's been almost four months since Amazon MGM announced that Dune mastermind Denis Villeneuve would direct the first Bond film since Daniel Craig retired from his turn as the character. Still, it feels like we're a long way away until we learn who, exactly, will succeed Craig.

If rumors are to be believed—and this time, it seems like there’s at least a little truth in the matter—Callum Turner will sign to His Majesty’s secret service. Take this with a rather large grain of salt, but on January 5, The Daily Mail quoted a source close to Turner as saying: "He's been blabbing all over town. Callum is the new Bond, it's been confirmed. Everyone in his circle is talking about it. It's the worst-kept secret going."

No matter how suspect that quote may sound, it's a good occasion to wonder what would the British actor’s version of Bond would actually look like. And if anyone has asked Dua Lipa if she can sing "Goldfinger." Here's how Turner would shake up—and definitely not stir—Denis Villeneuve's upcoming film.

Denis, Meets Callum.

The road to the new Bond has not been smooth, thanks to Amazon’s acquisition of the IP and a producer turnover. The best news so far is that 007 has a new director in Villeneuve. The French-Canadian director, best known for his cut-above sci-fi series Dune, has a pleasingly procedural style. It is slick, humane, stylish. It's hard to think of anyone working today better-suited to the post. He’s used to directing young Monsieur Chalamet in those adaptations of Frank Herbert’s novels, but he has also worked with Ryan Gosling in a Blade Runner sequel and Amy Adams in Arrival. It's hard to gauge exactly how that vision will fit with Turner’s potential casting—the British actor has an old-world soulfulness to him—but it is a genuinely exciting thought.

Would Callum Turner Channel Season Connery or Skew Closer to Craig?

The thing about being Bond is that you have in-built comparisons, even before you have started the role. Will Turner be a one-timer like George Lazenby? Or will he be smooth like Sean Connery? Turner has starred in at least three interesting projects: the afterlife rom-com Eternity, Jane Austen adaptation Emma, and in upcoming Cornish ghost ship drama The Rose of Nevada. I have hopes that he will continue that vibe—it's a sort of sensitive gruffness—as Bond.

If Turner is actually Bond? Expect his famous fiancée, Dua Lipa, to handle songwriting duties for the film. ANGELA WEISS - Getty ImagesWill We Meet a Bond for the New Age? Or an Echo of Something Classic?

Bond is a yardstick. At any point in the franchise’s history, his characterization tells us something about how we live. Craig provided a famously no-nonsense take on the role, which suited the start of a new century. Let’s knock this thing down and build it all back, the producers seemed to say. His predecessor, Pierce Brosnan, was all '90s cool: heavy on the suave, even heavier on the gadgets.

What the hell does Bond mean in 2026? The eternal conversation around masculinity reached an undeniable fever pitch last year in popular culture, and more recently we’ve seen a wider embrace of conservative values. There’s a sense that a lot of big-name IP is staying resolutely apolitical. We’d wager that someone like Turner meets both moments: the 35-year-old very much looks the part in every sense, right down to those broad shoulders. But you also get the feeling that you could introduce him to your cool friends. Not for nothing, when I interviewed the London-born actor for George Clooney’s The Boys in the Boat, he was very nice indeed. (I don’t actually have a say in Bond casting.)

Let’s Get Dua Lipa in the Studio, No?

Turner’s fiancé is Dua Lipa, a Grammy-winning pop star and ambassador for taking multiple holidays per year. I’m afraid we are not classy enough not to suggest a moment of brand synergy here. Let’s get her in the studio! She’s just finished a tour, so scheduling should be a breeze—and she certainly has the voice to give the theme song some convincing smoky glamour. We want something a little slinky like “Houdini,” the lead single from her second album, or else an '80s callback like “Don’t Start Now.” There’s a chance for some real humor here, and it could be a real hit. (Just look at her Barbie smash “Dance The Night.”) Amazon, Denis, Callum? Let's make it happen.

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