Denis Villeneuve unveiled a new director of James Bond
Denis Villeneuve will helm the next James Bond film.
Despite there still being no actor confirmed to take over from Daniel Craig as the suave spy after he hung up his tuxedo in 2021's No Time To Die, the Dune and Blade Runner 2049 helmer has been unveiled as the director.
He takes over the job from Cary Joji Fukunaga.
Villeneuve, 57, has vowed to "honour the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come."
In a statement, he said: "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.
"To me, he's sacred territory. I intend to honour the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come."
His promise comes amid much discussion surrounding the blockbuster action franchise and the hope that it will be entirely overhauled in its next era.
Amazon MGM Studios, Mike Hopkins, commented: "Denis has delivered compelling worlds, dynamic visuals, complex characters, and - most importantly - the immersive storytelling that global audiences yearn to experience in theatres.
"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."
Earlier this year, Amazon Studios took control of the franchise from Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, while Amy Pascal and David Heyman are attached to produce the next film in the super spy series.
Speaking at CinemaCon in April, Amazon MGM executives Courtenay Valenti and Sue Kroll told the convention: "We are committed to honouring the legacy of this iconic character while bringing a fresh, exotic new chapter to audiences around the world alongside Amy and David.
"They're both in London getting started and couldn't be here tonight, but we wanted to thank them for what we know to make an incredible partnership.'
As for the next Bond, Aaron Taylor-Johnson recently hinted he could be 007.
The 35-year-old actor has been heavily rumoured to be the next Bond and gave a very coy response when asked about what he'll be doing after working on 28 Years Later.
Quizzed by Deadline at the horror movie's premiere on June 18, he said: "I can't talk about it."
Taylor-Johnson was already being led away before the question was asked, and flashed a smile after his cryptic answer.
A few weeks prior, the Hollywood star was announced as a global ambassador for Swiss brand Omega, which has been the Bond franchise's go-to watch brand since 1995's GoldenEye, with every 007 since Pierce Brosnan wearing their timepieces on screen.
Taylor-Johnson said at the time: "I have always had an appreciation for timepieces, but especially for Omega.
'Now, after visiting the factory, I am in awe of the skill required to manufacture such a luxurious product.'
Meanwhile, Omega's CEO Raynald Aeschlimann praised him as a "versatile actor with a range that covers action, thriller, romance, and much more".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Perth Now
Matthew Goode's 'dark pitch' ruined his Bond chances
Matthew Goode's 'really dark' pitch got him dropped from James Bond auditions. Before Daniel Craig was cast as the suave spy in 2006's 'Casino Royale', a host of actors including Henry Cavill, Rupert Friend and Sam Worthington were tipped for the part and Goode, 47, has admitted he didn't even get an audition after his meeting with franchise producer Barbara Broccoli went terribly wrong. Speaking on the 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast, Matthew shared: 'I didn't audition. I went in and met Barbara [Broccoli]. It was quite a funny one because - and she's gorgeous and just a lovely, lovely person - she was like, 'So what's your idea for Bond?' And I was like, 'My idea for Bond. We've gotta take it back to the books, you know? Really, we absolutely have to make this guy an alcoholic, a drug addict. He hates himself. He hates women. He hates a lot of people. He's in deep pain. He's brilliant at killing people.' 'I think by the end of the interview, she was like, 'Mhmm. Next.' I wanted to make it really dark, but what I should have said was, 'But also incredibly charming.'' Meanwhile, Broccoli and co-producer Michael G. Wilson sold the creative rights to the Bond franchise to Amazon MGM Studios earlier this year. Denis Villeneuve has been announced as the director of the next movie but a successor to Craig has yet to be appointed.
News.com.au
9 hours ago
- News.com.au
British star Matthew Goode reveals dark reason Bond producers rejected him
Matthew Goode has revealed the dark reason James Bond producers rejected him moments after meeting him. James Bond bosses have been whittling down the long list of actors for years in a desperate bid to find the man who will replace Daniel Craig. Barbara Broccoli, 65, along with her brother Michael G. Wilson, 83, were the producers of the Bond franchise before they were replaced by Amazon MGM Studios for a massive $1 billion dollar deal in February. And before they chose Craig, Dept. Q star Goode revealed on Thursday's episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he was personally invited for a sit down chat with the producers who were seemingly interested in potentially having him be the new Bond before the role eventually went to Craig. However, sadly the meeting didn't go as the actor had planned. 'I didn't get to the audition,' remarked the star. 'But it was quite a funny one because — and she's gorgeous and just a lovely, lovely person — she was like, 'So what's your idea for Bond?' And I was like, 'My idea for Bond. We've gotta take it back to the books, you know? Really, we absolutely have to make this guy an alcoholic, a drug addict. He hates himself. He hates women. He hates a lot of people. He's in deep pain. He's brilliant at killing people.'' Goode confessed that his vision for the character didn't end up sitting well with the then producers, who swiftly dismissed him from the meeting. Goode reflected: 'I think by the end of the interview, she was like, 'Mhmm. Next.' I wanted to make it really dark.' 'I should have said was, 'But also incredibly charming.'' laughed the star. 'Ultimately, you know. What they did get was Daniel Craig.' Meanwhile, the rumour mill has been continually whirring as to who will take on the iconic 007 gig. But most recently, it was Aaron Taylor-Johnson who has dropped hints that he'll be stepping into Bond's shoes. The Marvel movie star, 34, recently signed a deal with Omega – the brand of watch the 007 spy wears. Omega has been supplying timepieces to the iconic movie character since the release of 1995's Golden Eye. When asked previously whether he would step into Bond's shoes, the Marvel star said: 'I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment.'
The Australian
2 days ago
- The Australian
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 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?
