Purported details of Robert Pattinson’s screen test deal to audition for James Bond 26 have come to light, and they reveal that he’s being treated differently than the four other actors in contention.
According to Puck’s Matthew Belloni, as part of auditioning for the role of 007, the five actors on the shortlist – Callum Turner, Jack Lowden, Josh O’Connor, Nicholas Hoult and Pattinson – all had to sign contracts agreeing to be in Bond 26 plus options for subsequent sequels. That’s all standard procedure on Bond films, including when Daniel Craig auditioned for Casino Royale.
At 40, Pattinson is not just the oldest of the actors vying for 007 but also the biggest star (and, thus, the most expensive choice).
Citing three sources familiar with the dealmaking on Bond 26, “O’Connor and Lowden, for instance, were required to sign up for four Bonds, if chosen. Pattinson, on the other hand, was able to lower that commitment to three (plus a whole lot more money than the others), given his stardom. So whoever is chosen will confer upon Amazon MGM different rights to their services. That’s only a problem in success, of course, and I doubt, given the stakes here, that the filmmakers would choose their Bond based on who’s cheaper. But unlike with previous installments, it suggests the studio is willing or even eager to sacrifice a bit to get a ‘name’ star to front its most important franchise.”
Puck claims Pattinson and Hoult screen-tested after the other three actors did, which might suggest Amazon MGM, producers David Heyman and Amy Pascal, and director Denis Villeneuve weren’t entirely happy with the tests from the lesser known actors.
While past James Bond actors have largely been unknown (Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan were TV stars), the speculation is that the 60+ year-old franchise could use a boost from a known actor who appeals to younger audiences and would thus minimize commercial risks for the studio.
“Pattinson’s test deal was so difficult to close, per two sources familiar with the process, that some involved were left wondering why the filmmakers would bother if they didn’t really [their emphasis] want him,” Belloni writes.
“Honestly, my biggest surprise when I heard he had tested for Bond casting director Nina Gold was that he’d agreed to test at all. Pattinson already has a pretty well-known body of work, he’s familiar to Villeneuve, and he basically played a version of Bond in Nolan’s Tenet. He seems well above having to test. But Pattinson did test… suggesting he [their emphasis] really wants it, too.”
All signs point to the official announcement of the next James Bond star before the end of the year, which dovetails nicely with the release of Denis Villeneuve’s new film with Robert Pattinson, Dune: Part Three.
Jim Vejvoda (he/him) is IGN’s Assoc. Director of Entertainment Content.
