Since it is the most coveted job in show business, he gets the role of James Bond it would always be a struggle.
But after years of speculation, it’s not the actors who are doing that fighting over who will be the next 007but Apple and Amazon – two of the world’s biggest streaming giants.
The Mail on Sunday can reveal Jack Lowden is one of the top contenders to inherit Daniel Craig‘s ‘license to kill’ is at the center of a war between the two mega channels, both of which want him on their screens.
Sources say it is impossible for the Essex-born actor, 36, who plays MI5 agent River Cartwright in Apple series Slow Horses, to also play Bond.
This has led to a fierce rearguard action from Apple to keep it for the next showing.
But Lowden is highly regarded by Amazon bosses who are selecting the next friendly spy.
An insider told The Mail on Sunday: ‘It is literally impossible for an actor to play two British spies almost at the same time. You can’t have two franchises and two spies, but only one face.
‘Jack is very much in the conversation and there are people who think he would make a fantastic Bond. But the elephant in the room is Slow Horses. Amazon wants its Bond, but Apple already has its spy.
Saoirse Ronan and Jack Lowden attended the 2025 EE BAFTA Film Awards at the Royal Festival Hall on February 16, 2025
The Mail on Sunday can reveal Jack Lowden one of the leading contenders to inherit Daniel Craig’s license to kill
Tom Brooke and Jack Lowden in ‘Slow Horses’, season 5
“There are some huge egos at Apple and Amazon and they don’t like to lose to each other, so the battle is on.
Lowden, who is married to actress Saoirse Ronan, plays the ambitious Cartwright opposite Gary Oldman’s Jackson Lamb in Apple’s hit spy drama. Based on the books by Mick Herron, future series would almost certainly clash with the new Bond film.
Lowden has become one of Britain’s most sought-after actors after roles in Mary Queen Of Scots, Pride And Prejudice and Dunkirk. He also starred in the BBC drama The Gold as convicted murderer Kenneth Noye, who melted down stolen gold from the infamous 1983 Brink’s-Mat heist.
The race to become the next 007 has been whittled down to a final four, with the remaining contenders having already put in their best efforts at Pinewood Studios, a source claims.
It is believed they have reached an advanced stage of development in the search for Craig’s successor, having undergone extensive testing to discover not only who can act like Bond, but ‘be’ him.
While it’s not known who the four are, Jacob Elordi, Callum Turner, Paul Mescal, Jack O’Connell and Harris Dickinson are all in the mix, as well as latecomer Jack Barton – who shot to fame with Netflix’s coming-of-age drama Heartstopper.
According to an insider, the contenders were tested on how convincingly they handle fight scenes, their movements, screen presence, charisma and more.
They’ve also been asked to tackle classic Bond-style moments for the cameras, so those in charge of the new era can judge how each actor handles the physicality, danger, humor and effortless charm the role requires.
Another source said: “It’s much more than reading lines in an audition room. They look at the complete package. How does he walk into a room? What does he look like in a fight? Can he turn on that Bond charisma when the scene demands it?
“They effectively place them in Bond’s world and see who looks like they belong there.”
Director Denis Villeneuve is overseeing the next incarnation of 007, while Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is writing the screenplay.
