Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult 'join the race to become the next James Bond as late contenders' after attending auditions for coveted role
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Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult have reportedly both auditioned for James Bond as they join the race for the coveted part as late contenders.
The British actors, who have starred as Batman and Lex Luthor respectively for DC Studios, are surprise additions to the list of stars who have already auditioned for director Denis Villeneuve.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Pattinson and Hoult joined hopefuls Callum Turner, Jack Lowden and Josh O'Connor in testing for the role in London last month.
Pattinson previously worked with Villeneuve on the upcoming Dune 3.
News of Pattinson and Hoult's auditions will come as a surprise as it was recently claimed that O'Connor had secured the role.
The Crown star, 36, is believed to have been on the shortlist of candidates to play 007 and a recent report suggested Josh had won the role after successfully negotiating the final stages of the auditions with Amazon MGM Studios.
Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult have reportedly both auditioned for James Bond as they join the race for the coveted part as late contenders
It is yet to be decided who will be taking over from Daniel Craig (seen in Casino Royale) as the next 007
O'Connor had been appearing in the play Golden Boy in Islington, north London and The Sun reported one of his castmates let the Bond casting news slip after a 'few glasses of lager' at a pub in Soho.
A source told the publication: 'I bumped into one of Josh's Golden Boy cast mates at The French House. A lot of people asked for selfies and we got chatting in a corner completely by accident.
'Out of nowhere, and oiled by a few glasses of lager, they blurted out that Josh was the next James Bond. I said it was pure speculation but they were insistent it was Josh.
'They said that he had confided in them about getting the role when the cast of Golden Boy had celebratory drinks after the play finished its run on Halloween. '
It came after O'Connor - who is best known for playing Prince Charles in Netflix series The Crown - admitted he finds it 'very bizarre' that he's been mentioned as a potential James Bond.
He told the BBC: 'To be considered in that same sort of bracket is extraordinary. It's an incredibly bizarre pinch me moment... even being uttered in that same sentence and being considered for something like that.'
However, O'Connor insisted he wouldn't be drawn on the speculation, adding: 'But I am afraid, there is nothing to say beyond that.'
O'Connor recently wrapped his run as the lead role in Golden Boy where he played 60 shows.
News of Pattinson and Hoult's auditions will come as a surprise as it was recently claimed that Josh O'Connor had secured the role
Jack Lowden and Callum Turner are also both believed to have completed their final auditions recently ahead of the announcement
According to the latest odds from Ladbrokes, Lowden is now the clear front-runner at 4/6, followed by Turner at 11/4.
O'Connor falls further behind in the odds at 8/1.
Slow Horses star Lowden, 36, recently broke his silence on claims that he is the 'clear favourite' for the role while speaking to GQ Hype, telling them he believes his future lies in directing.
'It's all very flattering. It's nice to be mentioned – for any role – and I'm just not really going to add to the noise...
'As a young male actor, generally, the minute you're not playing a zany artist type, the minute you're in a suit, people fling it at you.'
Expanding on plans for working behind the camera in the future, he added: 'I don't think it's [his future career] in acting, really. I think it's in making something of my own.'
Furthermore, it was recently reported that Turner, 36, has quit the film company he founded with wife Dua Lipa – a potential sign that he's focused solely on securing the 007 job.
The actor has resigned as a director of Twentytwo Films Ltd which he founded with his pop star wife last August with equal shares, aiming to produce film and television projects similar to Margot Robbie's LuckyChap production house.
Casting for the role of James Bond by December would allow Amazon MGM Studios to start filming the next movie in 2027.
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