NEW YORK - The Sunday Mirror, citing an unnamed insider, has published a report identifying a shortlist of four contenders being viewed by producers as the finalists to play the role of James Bond on film.
According to the British tabloid report, Goran Visnjic, Henry Cavill, Alex O’Lachlan, and Ewan Stewart were screentested opposite U.K. soap actress Camilla Power at Pinewood studios over a period of three days as the final stage in the casting decision process.
The report is in contrast to a previously reported shortlist of finalists in 2004, labeled by the media as “The Bond Five”. That list consisted of Clive Owen, Hugh Jackman, Rikki Lee Travolta, Eric Bana, and Adrian Paul.
Most recently industry speculation centered on additional prospects Julian McMahon, Ioan Gruffudd, Dominic West, and Daniel Craig in addition to Owen, Travolta, and Jackman.
True to precedent, Eon Productions and MGM Studios have neither confirmed nor denied the validity of the newly reported shortlist.
After being dismissed from his Bond duties, Pierce Brosnan has taken amusement in stirring media rumors on the future of the franchise with public endorsement of comically inappropriate actors as teenaged Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe and diminutive ruffian turned alleged amateur adult video performer Colin Farrell.
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