An ‘honored' Denis Villeneuve will direct the next James Bond movie: ‘To me, he's sacred territory'
Denis Villeneuve is stepping out of the deserts of Dune and into the spy world of Bond.
The four-time Oscar nominee is set to direct and executive produce the next James Bond installment for Amazon MGM Studios. Tanya Lapointe joins him as an executive producer, with Amy Pascal and David Heyman continuing as producers. The role of the next James Bond has yet to be cast.
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Acknowledging the weight of the project, Villeneuve said today, "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. Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.'
Villeneuve has four Oscar nominations under his belt: for directing Arrival (2016), writing and producing Dune: Part One (2021), and producing Dune: Part Two (2024). He has yet to win.
James Bond movies have claimed several Academy Awards through the years, including Best Sound Effects for Goldfinger (1965), Best Visual Effects for Thunderball (1966), Best Song and Best Sound Editing for Skyfall (2013), Best Song for Spectre (2016), and Best Song for No Time to Die (2022).
"We are honored that Denis has agreed to direct James Bond's next chapter," said Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. "He is a cinematic master, whose filmography speaks for itself. From Blade Runner 2049 to Arrival to the Dune films, he has delivered compelling worlds, dynamic visuals, complex characters, and — most importantly — the immersive storytelling that global audiences yearn to experience in theaters. 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.'
Pascal and Heyman said jointly, "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."
In December, the Wall Street Journal suggested that longtime James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli and Amazon MGM Studios were "at an impasse" over the future of the spy franchise, however it was later revealed in February that the studio had negotiated creative control in a new deal.
With no casting announcement yet for the next James Bond, who do you think should play Agent 007? Join the discussion in our movie forum and see Gold Derby's list of possible choices. So far the character has been played by Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig.
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