According to a new report from , Pattinson, 40, took part in auditions for the coveted role over the weekend of October 24, joining previously identified candidates Callum Turner, Jack Lowden and Josh O’Connor.

Hoult, 36, has also reportedly been identified as one of the mystery candidates, with corroborating the reports that both actors were among the hopefuls.

Pattinson’s inclusion comes as a surprise given that he is already one of Hollywood’s most established leading men, and is currently starring as Bruce Wayne in franchise.

The actor is in the midst of a particularly busy year, having appeared alongside Zendaya in , played Antinous in Christopher Nolan‘s , and starred as television presenter Chris Hansen in the A24 drama .

He has also been working on The Batman Part II, with the Bond screen tests reportedly taking place in London.

Crucially, Pattinson has already worked with the director of the next Bond film, Denis Villeneuve, on the forthcoming , which is due for release on December 18. Their collaboration is said to have gone well, potentially giving the actor an advantage in the casting process.

Hoult, meanwhile, has extensive experience in major franchises, having played Beast in the films and Lex Luthor in , alongside an acclaimed performance in .

Interestingly, Hoult was previously a runner-up to Pattinson for the role of Batman in the 2022 film.

The latest reports add another twist to the lengthy search for Daniel Craig‘s successor, which officially began in May.

Earlier this week, Bond experts suggested that Turner had already secured the role, after he was reportedly spotted attending a screen test at Bray Studios in Berkshire.

Meanwhile, a separate rumour claimed that O’Connor had been cast as 007, based on an account allegedly given by a colleague from his recent West End production of .

No official announcement has been made, however, and Amazon MGM Studios has declined to comment on the latest casting reports.

The next Bond film will be the first since Amazon assumed creative control of the franchise from longtime custodians Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson in February 2025.

Villeneuve will direct the 26th instalment from a script by creator Steven Knight, with Amy Pascal and David Heyman serving as producers.

Pascal has previously indicated that the new Bond will be announced before the end of 2026.

“We are being really, really methodical,” she explained. “I mean, Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow. And it’s got to be something really different that is stirring, exciting and different.”

Craig was announced as Bond in October 2005 and went on to play the character in five films, beginning with 2006’s and concluding with in 2021.