Danny Boyle says it openly: Jack O’Connell should be the new James Bond

Renowned director Danny Boyle has said it openly: British actor Jack O’Connell should be the new James Bond. People reports that his statement came during the presentation of the new film “Ink” at the Zurich Film Festival on September 30, where Boyle said: “They should cast Jack O’Connell as Bond”.

O’Connell, 36, plays in “Ink” the notorious British tabloid editor Larry Lamb; the film had its world premiere in Venice and is circulating at international festivals. Boyle also praised his performance in the biographical film “Back to Black” (2024) about Amy Winehouse, in which he played the singer’s boyfriend, calling it “a wonderful film… an incredible performance”.

Interestingly, Boyle himself was once set to direct “No Time to Die” (2021), Daniel Craig’s last film as Bond, but withdrew because of creative differences. The franchise is now in the hands of director Denis Villeneuve (“Dune”), and Boyle believes he will carry it forward worthily; Amazon MGM Studios bought the franchise in 2025.

Meanwhile, the race for the role of agent 007 continues to fuel speculation. According to the media, the rumoured candidates include Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal, Jack Lowden and Callum Turner. A few weeks ago, Gary Oldman expressed support for Lowden on a Canadian show, saying the choice “has been made, but has not yet been announced”. According to Deadline, auditions for the role were held in August, while the release date of the new Bond film has not yet been set.