Is the Venice Red Carpet Just One Long Bond Audition?
At the Venice Film Festival, English actor Callum Turner pulled up to the premiere of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein in a custom Louis Vuitton tuxedo. This, in itself, was not particularly shocking, considering the British actor’s been the face of the brand since November. But consider the details of tux itself: a white jacket paired with perfectly tailored black trousers, a matching bow tie, and a black carnation boutonnière. Against the backdrop of the city’s palazzos, the fit seemed less to do with a gothic drama like Frankenstein and more to do with another role entirely—one with a multi-film deal and a Walther PPK. Yes: James Bond.
In the world of 007, the white tux jacket is cinematic shorthand. Sean Connery cemented the look in Goldfinger with a fiery red carnation. Daniel Craig revived it five decades later in Spectre, a slick black carnation neatly pinned to his left lapel. Turner’s take carried the same vibe but with a sharper, slimmer cut—a Bond reference retooled for 2025 rather than 1964. And yes, the same flower was there, too.
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The elephant in the room, of course, is that the search for the next 007 has become one of Britain’s longest-running casting sagas. Ever since Craig parked his Aston Martin for the last time in No Time to Die, speculation has ricocheted between bookies’ favorites and fan theories. Idris Elba was name-checked so many times he had to publicly bow out. Regé-Jean Page had his moment during Bridgerton‘s peak. Even Paul Mescal has thrown his own hat in the ring. And now, Turner’s name is increasingly part of the mix.
Why Turner? For one, he’s got the physical credentials. In 2023’s The Boys in the Boat, he proved he had both the acting chops and the athleticism, while 2024’s Masters of the Air showed an intensity that producers seem to really like in their Bonds. Born and raised in London, he carries an accent you can smooth over but never fully get rid of. And he also has the kind of confidence that feels natural rather than rehearsed. Bond, at his finest, has always channelled charm, menace, and melancholy. This guy’s got all three. (Plus, he’s engaged to Dua Lipa. Good for him!)
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The Frankenstein premiere at Venice only added to the speculation, especially since Turner wasn’t the only contender in a dinner jacket. Fellow Englishman Aaron Taylor-Johnson, long rumored to have had talks with the Bond producers, turned up in a rival white tux (sans flower, though). Jacob Elordi, another name occasionally floated in the sweepstakes, was there, too, though his black suit mostly just made him look preternaturally suave.
Sure, the role may still be yet to be cast, but watching Callum Turner stroll through Venice in Louis Vuitton, boutonnière in place, felt like a dry run for the biggest job in British filmmaking.
A version of this story originally appeared on British GQ.
