Today, the THR announced that director Denis Villeneuve has been officially attached to direct the next James Bond film for Amazon and MGM Studios.
The latest theatrical adventure for 007 will also mark the first Bond outing following Amazon’s $8.45 billion takeover of the series’ long-standing backer, MGM. As of now, no potential replacements for the latest incarnation of Bond have been revealed by the studio.
The trade also revealed that Tanya Lapointe, Villeneuve’s wife, will serve as an executive producer. Along with Amy Pascal(Spider-Man) and David Heyman(Harry Potter), as producers, which was previously announced in a prior report.
In addition, Villeneuve unveiled his personal attachment to the legacy of 007 as he told the trade by confessing, “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, he said. Before adding, “I’m a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he’s sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come, and this is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor.”
Joining in on the celebratory announcement were Heyman and Pascal by declaring, “Denis Villeneuve has been in love with James Bond movies since he was a little boy. It was always his dream to make this movie, and now it’s ours, too. We are lucky to be in the hands of this extraordinary filmmaker.”
It should be no mistake that the legacy and IP of Bond has been a highly sought-after asset of unlimited creative value, as many notable directors who met with the studio, as confirmed by the trade, were Edward Berger, Edgar Wright, and Paul King. However, it seems that Amazon is excited for Villeneuve to introduce his signature style and artistic inspiration into the realm of espionage and warfare.
Though the trade did also admit that as of now, details are limited and it’s currently unknown when fans can expect Bond to be back on the silver screen, however, the next step forward attached to the project is to find and secure a screenwriter to get the project off the ground. It should also be noted that the new Bond will mark the franchise’s 26th title and the follow-up to 2021’s No Time to Die, which was directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga. Villeneuve, who is French-Canadian, is the second non-British filmmaker to take on Bond, following Fukunaga.
Next up for Villeneuve is Dune: Messiah, which is set to begin filming this summer ahead of the December 18th, 2026 premiere.
Source: THR
