As countless major franchises work to find their footing in the modern era of movies, one saga waiting patiently to come back into the spotlight is James Bond. Notably, the iconic British spy has not been the star of a big-screen movie since 2021’s No Time to Die, which marked Daniel Craig’s final time donning the black tuxedo after a 15-year run that produced five Bond movies. Five years later, the franchise remains in a major state of flux.
After Amazon MGM Studios closed its acquisition of James Bond in Feb. 2025 (following the move to acquire MGM in Mar. 2022), the question turned to who would be the next actor to take on Bond after Craig. Reports have mostly indicated that Amazon is leaning towards picking a lesser-known star for the role, with names like Callum Turner, Jack Lowden, and Josh O’Connor being discussed as contenders. However, the latest name in the pool for this role may be the most surprising one yet.
According to multiple sources (via The Hollywood Reporter), Robert Pattinson tested with Amazon MGM Studios for the role of James Bond. The screen tests were said to have taken place the weekend of Oct. 24, 2026, but Amazon had no comment on them. The report also indicated that Nicholas Hoult recently tested for the role.
Put simply, Pattinson’s résumé is stacked, having broken into the spotlight through the Twilight and Harry Potter franchises in the 2000s and 2010s. 2026 was the biggest year of his career, as he will have starred in four of the biggest new movies during that time: The Drama, The Odyssey, Primetime, and Dune: Part Three. That does not even count his work with DC as Batman, which will continue in The Batman — Part II in Feb. 2028.
The same can be said about Hoult, who has history in both the Marvel Universe as Beast and the DC Universe as Lex Luthor. Hoult will continue his run in the DCU in 2027’s Man of Tomorrow, and he is in the same class as Pattinson in terms of star power in the modern era. Interestingly, this is not the first role these actors have both tried out for, as Hoult was in the running to play Batman for director Matt Reeves before Pattinson was cast.
Certainly, Pattinson or Hoult could nail the Bond look and character if one of them gets the part, as they have shown plenty of sophistication and suavity in past movies. However, either would easily be the biggest name of those in contention to get the part if that comes through, and one of the rare actors who was already well-known to the public before embodying Bond. For Pattinson, it would also reunite him with director Denis Villeneuve after their work together on Dune: Part Three.
For now, the wait continues for Amazon to make its final decision on Bond, as the studio has not released a timeframe for when the next movie will be made and released. It is still unclear how likely Pattinson or Hoult is to get the role, but his testing for the part throws a new wrinkle into an already intriguing round of casting.
