python-semantic-release
diff --git a/docs/configuration/configuration.rst b/docs/configuration/configuration.rst
@@ -1377,7 +1377,8 @@ version numbers.
     ]
 
 First, the ``__version__`` variable in ``src/semantic_release/__init__.py`` will be updated
-with the next version using the `SemVer`_ number format.
+with the next version using the `SemVer`_ number format. As of $NEW_RELEASE_TAG, this works
+both with and without a Python type annotation on the variable:
 
 .. code-block:: diff
 
@@ -1386,6 +1387,10 @@ with the next version using the `SemVer`_ number format.
     - __version__ = "0.1.0"
     + __version__ = "0.2.0"
 
+    # or with a type annotation ($NEW_RELEASE_TAG or greater):
+    - __version__: str = "0.1.0"
+    + __version__: str = "0.2.0"
+
 Then, the ``version`` variable in ``docs/conf.py`` will be updated with the next version
 with the next version using the `SemVer`_ number format because of the explicit ``nf``.
 
@@ -1450,6 +1455,9 @@ The regular expression generated from the ``version_variables`` definition will:
    the symbol. As of v10.0.0, a double-equals (``==``) operator is also supported
    as a valid operand symbol. As of v10.5.0, PSR can omit all operands as long
    as there is at least one whitespace character between the variable name and the version.
+   As of $NEW_RELEASE_TAG, an optional Python-style type annotation (e.g. ``: str``,
+   ``: typing.Final[str]``) between the variable name and the assignment operator is
+   also supported.
 
 3. The value of the variable must match a `SemVer`_ regular expression and can be
    enclosed by single (``'``) or double (``"``) quotation marks but they must match. However,

diff --git a/src/semantic_release/version/declarations/pattern.py b/src/semantic_release/version/declarations/pattern.py
@@ -227,9 +227,11 @@ def from_string_definition(
                 # Supports optional matching quotations around variable name
                 # Negative lookbehind to ensure we don't match part of a variable name
                 f"""(?x)(?P<quote1>['"])?(?<![\\w.-]){regex_escape(variable)}(?P=quote1)?""",
+                # Supports optional Python type annotation (e.g., `: str`, `: Optional[str]`) where type annotation can be up to 100 characters
+                r"(?:\s{0,8}:\s{0,8}[^\s=:][^=:=]{0,100})?",
                 # Supports walrus, equals sign, double-equals, colon, or @ as assignment operator
                 # ignoring whitespace separation. Also allows a space as the separator for c-macro style definitions.
-                r"\s*(:=|==|[:=@ ])\s*",
+                r"\s{0,8}(:=|==|[:=@ ])\s{0,8}",
                 # Supports optional matching quotations around a version pattern (tag or raw format)
                 f"""(?P<quote2>['"])?{value_replace_pattern_str}(?P=quote2)?""",
             ],

diff --git a/tests/unit/semantic_release/version/declarations/test_pattern_declaration.py b/tests/unit/semantic_release/version/declarations/test_pattern_declaration.py
@@ -268,6 +268,58 @@ def test_pattern_declaration_is_version_replacer():
                     """
                 ),
             ),
+            (
+                "Python annotated variable with str type hint (number format)",
+                f"{test_file}:__version__:{VersionStampType.NUMBER_FORMAT.value}",
+                # irrelevant for this case
+                lazy_fixture(default_tag_format_str.__name__),
+                # Uses equals separator with single quotes and str type annotation
+                """__version__: str = '1.0.0'""",
+                f"""__version__: str = '{next_version}'""",
+            ),
+            (
+                "Python annotated variable with str type hint (tag format)",
+                f"{test_file}:__version__:{VersionStampType.TAG_FORMAT.value}",
+                lazy_fixture(default_tag_format_str.__name__),
+                # Uses equals separator with single quotes and str type annotation
+                """__version__: str = 'v1.0.0'""",
+                f"""__version__: str = 'v{next_version}'""",
+            ),
+            (
+                "Python annotated variable with quoted str type hint (number format)",
+                f"{test_file}:__version__:{VersionStampType.NUMBER_FORMAT.value}",
+                # irrelevant for this case
+                lazy_fixture(default_tag_format_str.__name__),
+                # Uses equals separator with single quotes and str type annotation
+                """__version__: "str" = '1.0.0'""",
+                f"""__version__: "str" = '{next_version}'""",
+            ),
+            (
+                "Python annotated variable with quoted str type hint (tag format)",
+                f"{test_file}:__version__:{VersionStampType.TAG_FORMAT.value}",
+                lazy_fixture(default_tag_format_str.__name__),
+                # Uses equals separator with single quotes and str type annotation
+                """__version__: "str" = 'v1.0.0'""",
+                f"""__version__: "str" = 'v{next_version}'""",
+            ),
+            (
+                "Python annotated variable with complex type hint",
+                f"{test_file}:__version__:{VersionStampType.NUMBER_FORMAT.value}",
+                # irrelevant for this case
+                lazy_fixture(default_tag_format_str.__name__),
+                # Uses equals separator with double quotes and complex type annotation
+                '''__version__: typing.Final[str] = "1.0.0"''',
+                f'''__version__: typing.Final[str] = "{next_version}"''',
+            ),
+            (
+                "Python annotated variable with complex type hint (tag format)",
+                f"{test_file}:__version__:{VersionStampType.TAG_FORMAT.value}",
+                # irrelevant for this case
+                lazy_fixture(default_tag_format_str.__name__),
+                # Uses equals separator with double quotes and complex type annotation
+                '''__version__: typing.Final[str] = "v1.0.0"''',
+                f'''__version__: typing.Final[str] = "v{next_version}"''',
+            ),
         ]
     ],
 )