Nicholas Hoult says his family has moved back to London. In an episode of the “Therapuss” podcast covered on November 12th, 2026, he said, “We’re in London now.” He added, “We’re living in North London.” His family had been based mostly in California until now. Hoult did not say when they moved, and nothing in the quotes says why. The Daily Mail and The Sun read the news as a hint that he has landed James Bond.
The theory is a chain of guesses. Hoult is one of the actors named in Bond screen-test reports. London is about an hour’s drive from Pinewood Studios, and the Daily Mail, The Sun and Film-News say the next Bond film will shoot there. The Mail adds that Pinewood has been used for 23 of the previous 25 Bond films, but it also says precise locations have yet to be announced. A family home near London would put Hoult near that set but fits other explanations just as well. Amazon MGM Studios has not named its Bond and nobody has been cast. Treat the move as a hint until Amazon names its Bond.
Treat the move as a hint until Amazon names its Bond.”
The quotes are small and ordinary. Hoult told the show’s host, Jake Shane, “Since we moved to London, I’ve been doing 20,000 steps a day.” He said most of that walking comes from “just doing the school run and stuff”. Asked which team he supports, he said, “Arsenal now. I grew up near Reading.” He added that his boys asked which team to support and he told them “you guys can support Arsenal”. None of the podcast quotes in the coverage mention Bond. The Daily Mail also prints an answer about his career. Hoult described a long-running pressure on himself: “I’ve got to prove to someone that I’m a good actor”. Then he asked himself what would be enough and answered, “Probably an award.”
The Bond link started six days earlier. Deadline and Variety reported on November 6th, 2026 that Robert Pattinson and Hoult screen-tested for 007, while The Hollywood Reporter reported Pattinson’s test and named Hoult as another name surfacing. Deadline’s sources say the two joined Jack Lowden, Josh O’Connor and Callum Turner in recent tests. Deadline adds that the group was no bigger than five actors and that the final tests slipped from early October to the end of the month because of scheduling conflicts. The Hollywood Reporter dates Pattinson’s test to the weekend of October 24th, 2026. Deadline calls its own report unconfirmed. Amazon MGM Studios has declined to comment.
Lowden, O’Connor and Turner came first, reported last month as the actors in the final screen tests. Deadline says auditions began in August and that the studio, the producers and Villeneuve then cut the list and worked out test offers in September. Variety adds that Harry Styles “had discussions” about the part and that Theo James has not been ruled out. CNN reports that O’Connor told the BBC being considered was an “incredibly bizarre pinch-me moment”. Pierce Brosnan, who played Bond before Daniel Craig, said of the list, “They all have a voice and a physique, and a presence on film.” None of the actors has confirmed taking part in the process.
Hoult and Pattinson are the late additions and both come with franchise histories. Hoult is 36 and has worked in franchises for years. He appeared in “About a Boy” and later in “Skins”. He has since been in the X-Men films, “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “Nosferatu”. He now plays Lex Luthor in “Superman”, which came out in 2025, and returns in the sequel “Man of Tomorrow”. His next film is “How to Rob a Bank” from Amazon MGM Studios, the studio behind the next Bond film. Netflix Junkie quotes the film’s director, David Leitch, telling Variety that Hoult is “one of the great actors of his generation”.
Pattinson is 40 and plays Batman. He is filming “The Batman Part II” in London, where The Hollywood Reporter says the screen tests have been taking place. He worked with Villeneuve on “Dune: Part Three”. His recent work includes Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” and the A24 drama “Primetime”. He broke out in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” and went on to “Twilight”. The Hollywood Reporter also says Hoult was a runner-up to him for Batman years ago. That gives the race a rematch angle. It is a detail for fans and not a sign of the outcome. CNN notes that Pattinson’s casting would be particularly remarkable because he already leads the Batman films, while Hoult is in the “Superman” movies.
Amazon MGM Studios took creative control of Bond from the Broccoli family in February 2025. It announced Denis Villeneuve as director in June 2025. He said at the time, “I’m a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he’s sacred territory.” Steven Knight, the creator of “Peaky Blinders”, is writing the script and Amy Pascal and David Heyman are producing. Deadline reports that Nina Gold, whose credits include “Game of Thrones” and “The Crown”, is casting. The studio said in May 2026, “The search for the next James Bond is underway.” Daniel Craig played Bond in five films and his last was “No Time to Die” in 2021.
Villeneuve gave his own update this week. In an interview posted by GQ he was asked whether the new 007 had been cast. He answered that it is “in the process”. Deadline says GQ noted he said it with a smile. Then he added, “I am pushing the gas.” That is not an announcement, but it says the search is open and moving. The Independent reports that he also joked he has “the target of the sniper” on his chest.
He was looser at the LACMA Art+Film Gala on Saturday, November 7th, 2026. There he teased a reveal and stopped short. He then said, “I will stop right now because Amy Pascal is about to have a heart attack.” On the red carpet he told Variety, “I should not comment right now because every word I’m going to say is going to be scrutinized. I would just say that I’m having a great time.”
Timing is the one area with an on-record answer. Pascal told Deadline in August 2026, “I would say the end of the year is a good bet.” She has also said, “We are being really, really methodical.” Deadline’s report on November 6th, 2026 says most believe a decision will come by the end of the month and potentially before Thanksgiving. Both are expectations and neither is a deadline. No release date and no filming start date have been announced. Yahoo notes that Variety reported in September 2026 that the film would enter production in 2027.
The next real marker is Amazon’s announcement. If it names Hoult the move reads like a head start. If it names Lowden, Turner, O’Connor or Pattinson the move reads like a family update that headlines turned into a clue. Either way it proves one thing only: Hoult lives in London. Everything past that is theory until the studio says a name. Villeneuve says he is pushing the gas and Pascal has pointed to the end of the year.
What Do You Think? Is a family move to London a real Bond clue, or just a family move? Which of the reported screen-test actors should become the next 007? And should Amazon name its Bond before the end of the year, as Amy Pascal has said is a good bet?
See you on the next binge!
