James Bond fans, rejoice. Amazon has picked Denis Villeneuve to direct the first 007 movie since it bought Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for $8.5 billion in 2022.
The idea of a new take on the character is a daunting prospect after Daniel Craig’s 15-year tenure ended with “No Time to Die.”
The 2021 film ends as 007 goes out in a sacrificial blaze of glory to save his partner Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux) and their daughter Mathilde (Lisa-Dorah Sonnet).
Now, Amazon is working on rebooting the James Bond franchise, a prospect that’s worried fans since the MGM acquisition. Many joked that the streamer would Marvel-ize the property with spinoffs about characters such as Moneypenny, Q, or M.
However, Amazon announced on Wednesday that Villeneuve had signed on to direct the next film in the series. His wife, Tanya LaPointe, has also joined the project as an executive producer.
Villeneuve said in a press release: “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. I intend to honor 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 honor.”
It’s something of a dream come true for Villeneuve, who told the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast in 2021 he “would deeply love to one day make a James Bond movie,” before calling it a “big challenge to reboot after what Daniel did.”
Villeneuve’s movies including “Arrival,” “Blade Runner 2049,” and “Dune” have won 11 Oscars from 33 nominations, and many are taking this as a sign that Amazon is approaching “James Bond” seriously by working with an auteur.
Fans on X pointed to Villeneuve’s 2015 crime thriller “Sicario” as a sign that the director is the right choice for Bond.
“Sicario” follows an FBI agent who joins a ruthless CIA task force whose goal is to dismantle a violent drug cartel in Mexico, and it has a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
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It’s worth noting that the new “James Bond” project does not have a screenwriter attached yet, and it isn’t clear if Villeneuve already has a story in mind.
The director is preparing to start shooting “Dune: Part Three” later this year, so it could be some time before the next version of Bond gets into production.
Amazon’s willingness to wait for Villeneuve suggests the studio is willing to wait rather than rush out a new 007.
