Ever since Daniel Craig hung up his tuxedo after No Time to Die, the hunt for the next James Bond has been one of Hollywood’s most closely guarded secrets. Over the past few years, the casting rumor mill has churned through dozens of British heavyweights, including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Henry Cavill, and Callum Turner (to name a few), but Amazon MGM Studios has kept official updates locked down tight about who will inherit the iconic 007 mantle.
Recently, however, reports of the highly secretive screen tests for James Bond 26 have started to trickle out, signaling that the long-awaited search is finally entering its final stretch. Now, newly surfaced details from behind closed doors suggest the race might actually be over, with producers seemingly making their top choice clear during the audition process.
The official shortlist featured a select group of actors, with Turner in the mix alongside Jack Lowden, Nicholas Hoult, and Robert Pattinson – all of whom were reportedly brought in for secret screen tests. Now, a new report from Puck News has pulled back the curtain on those auditions, revealing secret contract terms that strongly suggest Amazon MGM Studios already has a clear favorite among the finalists.
According to the report from industry insider Matthew Belloni, Robert Pattinson was given a far more lucrative deal than any of the other finalists. While standard 007 contracts typically lock actors in for a multi-year tenure spanning at least four or five movies, The Batman star was reportedly offered more money and only a three-film commitment to step in front of the cameras for his audition.
In fact, insiders noted that Pattinson’s audition agreement was so difficult to close that it left many wondering why producers would jump through so many hoops unless they had already decided he was their top choice to play the next James Bond. By comparison, fellow contenders Lowden and O’Connor were reportedly required to sign four-film commitments for their screen tests at a lower price point.
Furthermore, Belloni noted that Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult were brought in to test after the initial group – suggesting Amazon MGM Studios wasn’t completely sold on the first three candidates. Bringing in two established, A-list stars for a second wave of auditions indicates that the studio may be leaning toward proven box-office appeal rather than taking a gamble on a lesser-known newcomer.
Former 007 producer Barbara Broccoli was reportedly interested in Pattinson five years ago before his casting as Batman, but based on the latest casting report, Amazon is more than willing to work around his blockbuster schedule, especially with his future as the Caped Crusader seemingly uncertain beyond Matt Reeves’ upcoming sequel, The Batman Part II.
Even before these behind-the-scenes contract details surfaced, momentum had already been building heavily in Pattinson’s favor. On the prediction platform Kalshi, Pattinson pulled ahead as the clear frontrunner with a 37% chance of landing the role, putting him comfortably ahead of Turner at 29%, Lowden at 28%, O’Connor at 25%, and Hoult at just 8%.
That surge was especially notable, given Pattinson’s packed slate – which includes Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three and his return to Gotham in The Batman Part II – and suggests that audiences and oddsmakers alike see him as a natural choice to usher in the next era of 007. With producer Amy Pascal previously hinting that an official decision should arrive before the end of 2026, we likely won’t have to wait much longer to find out if Pattinson will officially be taking his martinis shaken (not stirred) from now on.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
