Robert Pattinson emerges as frontrunner to become next 007 after screen test

Mr Pattinson’s deal would require him to sign on for just three films, whereas rival candidates were asked to commit to four, according to Matthew Belloni of Puck.

Before Mr Pattinson entered the frame, the initial shortlist featured Callum Turner, Jack Lowden and Josh O’Connor, all of whom auditioned for the coveted role.

A fortnight later, the London-born actor and Nicholas Hoult were brought in for a separate round of screen tests.

According to Mr Belloni, the decision to call in additional actors strongly suggests the producers were not entirely convinced by the first three candidates’ performances.

He said that if those earlier auditions proved satisfactory, there would have been no need to expand the search further.

Bond 26 marks a landmark moment for the franchise, as it will be the first instalment produced under the stewardship of Amazon MGM, the series’ new owners.

Denis Villeneuve, celebrated for his work on Dune, is set to direct, whilst Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, has penned the screenplay.

David Heyman and Amy Pascal are attached as producers.

No official release date has yet been confirmed for the film.

However, online speculation points to a possible debut in late 2027 or late 2028, though the timeline remains uncertain at this stage.

Mr Pattinson’s has a remarkable track record across some of cinema’s biggest franchises.

The actor first rose to global prominence playing vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight saga, a role that made him a household name.

Since then, he has built an impressively varied filmography, with notable appearances in the Harry Potter series, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune and, most recently, donning the cape as Batman.

If successful, the British actor would become the successor to Daniel Craig.

Mr Craig portrayed 007 in five Eon Productions films from 2006 to 2021.

His tenure rebooted the franchise with a darker, more grounded, and emotionally complex take on the iconic MI6 agent.

Mr Craig’s five films form a single, continuous narrative arc.

This approach sets his era apart from previous standalone instalments