In recent weeks, rumors and speculation on the next James Bond actor have been hitting the internet. A search for Daniel Craig’s successor began in May, with a shortlist revealed more recently. Now, it seems we’re nearing the finish line, with some candidates choosing to keep out of the spotlight.
Buried within the Hollywood Reporter’s latest Heat Vision newsletter is a mention of who’s in the running. After addressing “two different names” that other outlets claimed to have gotten the role, THR mentions that it’s heard “two mystery actors” have tested. These stars are described as more “notable and established names” than fellow shortlisters Callum Turner, Josh O’Connor, and Jack Lowden.
And to make it more interesting, Deadline’s Justin Kroll teased this of the unnamed actors. “One stars in a 2026 Amazon pic, and another likes to wear a mask.”
Currently, online sleuths think they’ve pegged Nicolas Galitzine for the former description. He headlined Masters of the Universe over the summer and already has a working relationship with the studio. (He’s the co-lead in the Red, White, & Royal Blue movies and the same for the Cinderella musical you probably didn’t see.)
Meanwhile, “likes to wear a mask” is tougher to pin down. Some guessed Tom Holland or Robert Pattinson, given the year they’ve had, or maybe even Nicholas Hoult, who’s no stranger to auditioning for iconic leading men. (He’s also a two-in-one: next week, he’ll be wearing a mask in Amazon’s How to Rob a Bank.) Then, THR revealed late Friday night that Pattinson had a screen test, and that Hoult’s been mentioned. Variety also reported that Harry Styles and Theo James have spoken with execs or been considered.
Pattinson’s test was in London where The Batman Part II is filming, and he’s said to have worked well with Denis Villeneuve on Dune: Part Three, which gives him an edge over the others. Either way, we’ll have more on James Bond as it develops, but a decision seems to be not far away.
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