After several directors reportedly met with Amazon MGM Studios, a new director has been chosen for the next James Bond movie.
Who is directing the next James Bond movie?
According to a report from Variety, Denis Villeneuve has been tapped to direct the next movie featuring the legendary spy. He will serve as executive producer on the project alongside Tanya Lapointe. No writer or casting information has been confirmed as of yet.
In a statement on the news, Villeneuve reflected on his relationship with James Bond, and thanked Amazon MGM Studios for trusting him.
“Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007,” Villeneuve’s statement reads. “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 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. Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.”
The James Bond franchise is now in the hands of Amazon MGM Studios following the shocking announcement earlier this year that longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson would be stepping back from their long-time status as producers on the franchise, allowing Amazon MGM Studios to take creative control of the franchise. The agreement sees Amazon MGM Studios and the duo forming a new joint venture house to house the intellectual property rights for the Bond franchise.
The three parties will remain co-owners of the Bond series, but now Amazon MGM Studios will have creative control, something that Broccoli and Wilson had retained before. Prior to the announcement, both Wilson and Broccoli had been known as fiercely protective over the franchise, but in a statement on the move, Wilson noted that he was stepping back to focus more on art and charitable projects, while Broccoli said she would be focusing on other projects now.
Information about the future of the James Bond franchise, as well as what the next film will be about, remains mysterious for now.
