Heartstopper actor Jack Barton has emerged as a surprise contender to become the next James Bond, with screen tests reportedly set to begin in early September.
Barton is best known to queer audiences as David Nelson, the homophobic older brother of Nick Nelson, played by Kit Connor, in Heartstopper. He has also appeared in SAS: Rogue Heroes, Poor Things and The Letter for the King.
While no casting decision has been announced, Barton is reportedly among a small group of actors being considered to replace Daniel Craig as 007.
Barton Joins Some Big Names
The reported shortlist also includes Jack Lowden, Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal and Harris Dickinson.
Compared with those names, Barton remains relatively unknown, which could potentially work in his favour.
Former Bond casting director Debbie McWilliams has previously argued that the next Bond should retain a sense of mystery and that audiences should know relatively little about the actor personally.
Daniel Craig himself was not yet a global superstar when he was cast as Bond in 2005.
Bond 26 Is Taking Shape
The next film will be the 26th official James Bond movie and the first produced under Amazon MGM Studios’ new creative control of the franchise.
Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is directing, with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight writing the screenplay. Amy Pascal and David Heyman are producing.
Amazon MGM has confirmed that the search for the next Bond is underway but says it will not comment on individual candidates during the casting process.
That means reports naming Barton and other actors should still be treated as casting speculation rather than confirmation.
Why Barton Could Fit Bond
Barton has previously spoken about being attracted to darker, conflicted characters.
Asked about his dream role, he named Macbeth and said he enjoys playing characters who have some level of torment or internal conflict.
That could make him an interesting fit for the more emotionally complicated version of Bond established during Daniel Craig’s era.
Whether Barton ultimately gets the tuxedo remains to be seen, but being linked to one of cinema’s biggest roles is already a significant step up from tormenting Nick Nelson in Heartstopper.
