Robert Pattinson Is Preferred to Succeed Daniel Craig as James Bond, Belloni Says

“It suggests the studio is willing or even eager to sacrifice a bit to get a ‘name’ star to front its most important franchise,” said Belloni.

Robert Pattinson has emerged as the favourite in the race to succeed Daniel Craig as James Bond, according to Matthew Belloni writing in Puck.

The favourable contract terms offered to Pattinson suggest that the actor is studio Amazon MGM’s preferred choice for the role, according to Belloni. Pattinson is currently in cinemas with the reality-crime thriller Primetime.

While other actors on the shortlist were required to commit to four Bond films, Pattinson’s contract called for three and offered a much larger fee, Belloni reported. The casting process for the new film, the 26th in the official series, became very public in recent weeks.

Industry reports previously suggested that Callum Turner, Jack Lowden, and Josh O’Connor were on the producers’ shortlist. Two weeks later, reports indicated that two others, Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult, were also being tested.

Each contender was offered terms before the test process began in what Belloni calls test deals. Belloni surmises that producers must not have been fully happy with the original three-strong shortlist, allowing more established names to join the process.

Nicholas Hoult is also in the running for the project. Bond 26 will be the first film made by the series’ new owner, Amazon MGM, which secured creative control of the franchise after striking a deal with its previous producers, Eon, in 2025.

Producers David Heyman and Amy Pascal are overseeing the project, while Denis Villeneuve will direct and Steven Knight is writing the script. Pattinson has participated in a number of successful franchises, including Twilight, Harry Potter, The Batman, and Dune.

He has also appeared in acclaimed dramas such as Bel Ami, Cosmopolis, The Lost City of Z, and The Lighthouse. This extensive franchise history makes him the most high-profile of the contenders.

That high profile would have likely gone against him when Eon was still in control. Eon’s standing credo was that Bond was a bigger star than any actor.

Belloni suggests that rule may no longer hold true in today's media environment.

“No franchise is bulletproof any more – everything is vulnerable and most can be helped by a value-add element, like an established star,” Belloni wrote.

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