A few pints and some loose lips may have given away Hollywood’s biggest casting secret.
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pints → give → secret
British actor Josh O’Connor, best known for playing a young Prince Charles in Netflix’s The Crown, could be the next James Bond, according to a surprising bit of London pub gossip.
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O’Connor → know → gossip
One of O’Connor’s co-stars in the stage production Golden Boy allegedly let the news slip during a night out, claiming the 36-year-old actor had landed the coveted role of 007, The UK Sun reports.
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Sun → let → 007
A source told the publication Thursday that they struck up a conversation with one of O’Connor’s theatre castmates at The French House.
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they → tell → House
After some drinks, the conversation took an interesting turn
“Out of nowhere, and oiled by a few glasses of lager, they blurted out that Josh was the next James Bond,” the source said.
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source → take → lager
The source initially dismissed the claim as speculation but said the cast member was “insistent” that O’Connor had secured the role.
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O’Connor → dismiss → role
They allegedly revealed that O’Connor had confided in the cast during celebratory drinks following the final performance of Golden Boy on Halloween.
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O’Connor → reveal → Halloween
Whether it’s true remains to be seen.
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’s → ’ → ?
But the rumour has added another twist to the already closely watched search for the next 007.
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rumour → add → 007
‘Bond 26’ expected to arrive in 2028
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Bond → expect → 2028
According to Page Six, the next Bond film, known as Bond 26, is expected to arrive in 2028, although no official release date has been announced.
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date → accord → 2028
Amazon MGM Studios will develop the movie.
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Studios → develop → movie
The plot is being kept under wraps, but Deadline says the film will explore Bond’s early days as a Royal Navy Commander before he is recruited by MI6.
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he → keep → MI6
That’s a fresh starting point following Daniel Craig’s dramatic exit in 2021’s No Time to Die, which ended with the death of his version of the iconic spy.
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which → ’ → spy
“It’s a new Bond, a new start, a fresh everything,” a source told Deadline.
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source → ’ → Deadline
The biggest question, of course, is who will wear the famous tuxedo.
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who → wear → tuxedo
Reports suggest the casting search has narrowed to four actors, including O’Connor, Jack Lowden and Callum Turner.
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search → suggest → O’Connor
The identity of the fourth contender remains a mystery.
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identity → remain → contender
Screen tests involving stunts, on-camera presence and dialogue are reportedly underway, according to The Guardian.
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tests → involve → Guardian
‘Pinch-me moment’
O’Connor has already been asked about the possibility of becoming the next Bond.
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O’Connor → pinch → Bond
Speaking to the BBC earlier this week, he called it an “incredibly bizarre ‘pinch-me moment’” to even have his name mentioned in the same sentence as the legendary character.
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name → speak → character
Meanwhile, former Bond star Pierce Brosnan has offered his own thoughts on the casting speculation.
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Brosnan → offer → speculation
Brosnan, who played 007 from 1995 to 2002, told Vanity Fair he’s eager to see who gets the role.
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who → play → role
While he praised all the shortlisted actors, he singled out Turner as his preferred choice.
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he → praise → choice
But whoever gets the part, Brosnan believes fans are in for something special with Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve directing.
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Villeneuve → get → something
He praised Villeneuve’s visionary style, storytelling and camera work, predicting the director’s take on Bond will be “truly magnificent.”
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take → praise → Bond
Does O’Connor have acting credentials to make a convincing 007?
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O’Connor → have → 007
O’Connor first attracted attention in the romantic drama God’s Own Country before appearing in Peaky Blinders and The Durrells.
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O’Connor → attract → Blinders
His biggest television break came when he played a young King Charles in The Crown, according to HuffPost UK.
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he → come → UK
He’s since built an impressive film résumé, including the tennis drama Challengers, Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day and the latest Knives Out mystery, Wake Up Dead Man.
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He → build → Man
That last project also put him on screen alongside Craig, the man he’s rumoured to replace.
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he → put → Craig
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