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Robert Pattinson negotiated a better deal to play James Bond than the other contenders
Robert Pattinson reportedly secured more favorable terms than some of his fellow James Bond contenders before screen-testing for the role, including a smaller potential film commitment and substantially higher pay. Insiders believe this suggests he’s the favorite for the role.
According to reports, the agreements signed by the actors participating in the casting process were not identical, with Robert Pattinson’s established stardom giving him leverage to negotiate different terms as Amazon MGM searches for Daniel Craig’s successor. The actors who reportedly tested for the role are Pattinson, Nicholas Hoult, Josh O’Connor, Jack Lowden and Callum Turner.
Robert Pattinson’s James Bond test deal reportedly covers three movies instead of four; insiders think his contract suggests he’s the favorite
Matt Belloni of Puck News has reported that Josh O’Connor and Jack Lowden signed test agreements covering four potential films, while Pattinson negotiated his commitment down to three, with considerably more money attached.
These agreements establish terms in advance if an actor is ultimately selected and do not mean Pattinson has been cast, or that three movies starring him have been officially greenlit.
Pattinson’s agreement was also reportedly particularly difficult to close, leading Hollywood insiders to believe that the effort involved as part of his agreement suggests the actor is a serious contender for director Denis Villeneuve and producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman. In essence, if they didn’t really want Pattinson in the role, why bother with the headache of the negotiation?
Pattinson’s involvement in the search emerged earlier this month, with reports that he screen-tested in London in late October. Nicholas Hoult, Callum Turner, O’Connor, and Lowden have also been named among the actors testing for the part. Pattinson is the only of the five actors to have worked with Villeneuve, as he has a starring role in Dune: Part Three.
Should Pattinson trade the cape and cowl of Batman to the tux and bow-tie for James Bond, the 40-year-old Englishman may as well have “completed” movie stardom, as those are arguably the two biggest franchise-leading roles in the business of movie-making.