Heartstopper’s Jack Barton Named New Favourite To Play James Bond

The casting process for the next actor to lead the James Bond franchise seems to be nearing an end.

“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,” a spokesperson said, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Callum Turner and Jacob Elordi all thought to be the hot favourites for the role at that time.

On Wednesday, Page Six reported that the next stage of the process was screen tests, with six actors left in consideration.

According to the outlet’s “insiders” Jack Barton is bosses’ new top pick for the job, after impressing filmmaker Denis Villeneuve and casting director Nina Gold.

Jack is somewhat less well-known than some of the other actors previously tipped for the 007 gig, but he did play John Tonkin in SAS: Rogue Heroes and Kit Connor’s on-screen brother in Netflix’s Heartstopper.

Page Six also claimed that five more stars will be doing screen tests imminently, alleging that the previously-rumoured Jack Lowden, Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi and Harris Dickinson are all still in the frame.

Interestingly, the sixth name on their list was Oscar nominee Paul Mescal, marking the first time he’s been linked with James Bond in the press in some time.

Naturally, these rumours have already sparked a lot of conversation on social media…

HuffPost UK has contacted reps for Jack Barton and Amazon MGM Studios for comment.

Earlier this year, producer Amy Pascal said the studio was looking for “something really different that is… stirring and exciting and different” in their next James Bond.

Little else is known about the next instalment in the spy franchise, other than that it will be written by Peaky Blinders and House Of Guinness creator Steven Knight.