The future of the James Bond franchise is being shaken (up) and stirred with a creative takeover by Amazon MGM Studios, and things are off to a strong, albeit surprising, start. Denis Villeneuve, best known for the Dune movies starring Timothée Chalamet, has been tapped to direct and executive produce the next James Bond instalment.
Joining the Canadian filmmaker as executive producer is Tanya Lapointe, with Amy Pascal and David Heyman serving as producers, as previously announced. Villeneuve was among the list of high-profile directors eyed to steer the project, alongside Edward Berger, Edgar Wright, Jonathan Nolan, and Paul King. Alfonso Cuarón (Roma) was also a popular choice, considering his frequent collaborations with Heyman.
“Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery. I’m a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he’s sacred territory,” Villeneuve said. “I intend to honour the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honour. Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.”
The forthcoming feature will mark the first time since the 1960s that someone outside of the Broccoli family, longtime owners of the IP, has taken creative control of the iconic spy series. The former remain as co-owners, following Daniel Craig’s last bow as 007 in 2021’s No Time To Die. The search for a worthy successor is still underway, with Amazon committed to “keeping the spirit of Bond alive, and that means he has to be British or from the Commonwealth – and he has to be male”.
In the meantime, Villeneuve will be busy shooting his third and final Dune movie for Warner Bros and Legendary Entertainment, which is slated for release on 16 December 2026. His other potential projects include Cleopatra, an adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke’s classic science fiction novel Rendezvous with Rama, and Nuclear War: A Scenario, based on Annie Jacobsen’s non-fiction book.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
