Robert Pattinson is now the frontrunner to be the next James Bond — and nobody saw it coming

Right, grab your martinis, because the James Bond rumour mill is spinning at full tilt again. After Daniel Craig hung up his cufflinks, speculation over the next 007 has properly taken off, with old favourites and fresh faces both being tossed about. Now, with Amazon pulling the strings on the franchise, things are edging into stranger, more unpredictable territory than ever.

Main contenders and odds

If you keep half an eye on film betting markets, it’s no secret that Robert Pattinson is now oddly near the front of the queue. According to Kalshi’s prediction platform, Pattinson has somehow scraped together a 37% chance of landing the tux. That hardly counts as 'lesser-known,' does it? The man’s been Batman, he’s had a glittery vampire phase, and now he’s cropping up in practically every big studio film — from The Drama and The Odyssey to the next Dune film. His schedule’s enough to make anyone exhausted, not least because The Batman Part II isn’t even out until February 2028.

• Robert Pattinson: 37%
• Callum Turner: 29%
• Jack Lowden: 28%
• Josh O'Connor: 25%
• Nicholas Hoult: 8%

Robert Pattinson is now listed as having a 37% chance of nabbing the Bond role, according to Kalshi.

So, that’s where Pattinson stands — but he’s hardly the only horse in this race. Callum Turner and Jack Lowden are neck and neck, both hovering around the 30% mark. Then you’ve got Josh O'Connor, who’s chugging along at 25%, and finally Nicholas Hoult, pretty far back with just 8% odds. Hoult’s a familiar name, but he’s always seemed more X-Men than MI6.

Lesser-known Bond?

What’s properly interesting is reports swirling that Amazon are keen to cast someone who isn’t already a household name for their first post-Craig Bond. Sounds bold for a series that usually goes for a tried-and-tested face. Except, again — Pattinson? Not exactly an undiscovered talent. He’s in the prime of a midlife blockbuster renaissance, and if he did land Bond, he’d be darting between franchises at a frantic rate. Good luck to whichever producer tries to juggle that filming schedule.

When's the next Bond announcement?

In terms of timing, one thing’s certain: Amazon’s not showing their hand just yet. There’s been a lot of chat, but no actual date for revealing the next James Bond. Producer Amy Pascal did drop the tiniest morsel in a Deadline interview:

Producer Amy Pascal told Deadline, 'I would say the end of the year is a good bet. We are being really, really methodical... I mean, Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow. And it’s got to be something really different that is as stirring and exciting and different.'

So, if you were wagering, you’d hazard late 2026 for the big announcement, assuming Amazon don’t get cold feet and delay into the next year. Dennis Villeneuve, who’s tapped to direct the next film, has offered up little more than some cryptic “having a great time” noises and makes it clear that he’s keeping anything related to casting under wraps, for obvious reasons.