Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult have reportedly screen-tested to play James Bond in Denis Villeneuve’s next 007 film. The auditions put both British actors in the conversation about who will succeed Daniel Craig, but Amazon MGM Studios has not announced who will take over the role.
Pattinson has already worked with Villeneuve on Dune: Part Three. He also plays Bruce Wayne in The Batman and has appeared in two other major franchises, Twilight and Harry Potter. Hoult has a comic-book background of his own: he plays Lex Luthor in Superman and previously appeared as Beast in the X-Men films. He next stars in How to Rob a Bank, which opens in theatres on November 13.
Callum Turner, Josh O’Connor and Jack Lowden are among the other names linked to the part. Those reports are not an official shortlist, and a screen test does not mean an actor has been offered the role. Amazon MGM Studios has said it does not plan to discuss specific details while casting is underway.
The team behind the film is already in place. Villeneuve will direct from a screenplay by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, with Amy Pascal and David Heyman producing. It will be the first Bond film since No Time to Die ended Craig’s run as 007 in 2021. For now, the director and writer are confirmed, but the identity of the next Bond remains unannounced.