Denis Villeneuve to direct next James Bond film
Oscar-nominated director Denis Villeneuve — arguably the reigning monarch of legacy IP resurrection — has been confirmed as the director of the next James Bond film, the first to be released under Amazon's watch.
The appointment was announced by Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.
'We are honoured that Denis has agreed to direct James Bond's next chapter,' Hopkins said. 'He is a cinematic master, whose filmography speaks for itself … James Bond is in the hands of one of today's greatest filmmakers, and we cannot wait to get started on 007's next adventure.'
The Canadian filmmaker, best known for his blockbusters Dune and Dune: Part Two, as well as Arrival, Sicario, Blade Runner 2049 and Incendies, said in a statement on Wednesday that being chosen for the project was a 'huge honour'.
'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, and a huge honour.'
Villeneuve is about to begin filming a third Dune instalment, Dune: Messiah, slated for release in 2026. He is also attached to several other projects, including a historical drama about Cleopatra, an adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke's Rendezvous with Rama, and a science-fiction short story by South Korean author Kim Bo-young.
His appointment comes amid a broader shake-up of the Bond universe. When Amazon acquired MGM in 2021 for US$8.5 billion, it gained the rights to distribute the Bond films — but only owned 50% of the franchise, and had no control over its creative direction.
That changed in February this year, when the Broccoli family — heirs of Bond producer Albert 'Cubby' Broccoli and longtime custodians of the franchise — reportedly accepted a US$1 billion deal to cede creative control. The controversial agreement brings Amazon's total spend on the 007 franchise to nearly US$10 billion.
As for who will don the tuxedo next, following Daniel Craig's final outing in No Time to Die, which grossed US$774 million globally, remains up in the air.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James and James Norton have all been floated for the 10-year-commitment, though Taylor-Johnson appeared to distance himself from the role in a recent GQ interview: 'I don't feel like I need to have a future drawn out for me. I feel like, whatever's drawn out for me, I can f...ing ing do better.' Geordie Gray Entertainment reporter
Geordie Gray is a digital producer and entertainment reporter based in Sydney. She writes about film, television, music and pop culture. Previously, she was News Editor at The Brag Media and wrote features for Rolling Stone. Arts
This is Gail Jones's 11th novel and her first whodunit. With it, she joins a growing list of Ozlit stars – Kate Mildenhall, James Bradley and Mandy Beaumont among them – who are having a crack at crime. Review
How did a bright, churchgoing son of a country schoolteacher finish up as a literary serial killer?
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