'007' Top James Bond Contender is Under Wraps to Avoid Racist Attacks

As we previously reported, the selection process for the next James Bond has reached its final round, with at least four actors vying for the role that Daniel Craig played in the last five films of the franchise. Among the finalists are Jack Lowden (Slow Horses), Callum Turner (Masters of the Air), and Josh O'Connor (Wake Up Dead Man). The fourth name, however, is being kept secret.

Now, according to journalist Jeff Sneider, the secrecy has a specific reason: the mysterious actor is black, and his identity is being protected to shield him from potential racist attacks and hate speech online. According to Sneider, a source close to the project shared this information with him.

Everything you need to know about the future of 007

With over 20 films released since the 1960s, 007 is one of the longest-running franchises in cinema history. From the very beginning, the Broccoli family has stewarded the character and his films—first with Cubby Broccoli, founder of Eon, and later with his children, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. In 2025, however, the Broccolis decided to sell creative control of the character to Amazon MGM Studios for a reported $1 billion. Within Amazon, Amy Pascal—producer for the Spider-Man films—and David Heyman—who produced the Harry Potter adaptations—were selected to produce and manage the franchise.

It is not yet known when the new James Bond film will be released, let alone who will take on the role of Agent 007. However, Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Dune) will direct, and Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders) is handling the screenplay.