Amazon MGM Studios confirmed that Dune director Denis Villeneuve is set to be the man to direct the 26th James Bond movie.
If you follow 007 news, this has been a long time coming, as Villeneuve was offered the chance to direct 2021’s No Time to Die but passed to do Dune, which he was already committed to. Now, he gets the chance to put his stamp on the brand-new era of Bond, which is no longer under the creative control of the famous Broccoli family.
In an Amazon press release, Villeneuve 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. 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 [Pascal], David [Heyman], and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.”
Denis Villeneuve’s name will draw more people to James Bond
To be fair, fans have been spoiled by the Daniel Craig 007 films, which saw filmmakers like Martin Campbell, Marc Forster, Sam Mendes, and Cary Joji Fukunaga step in to direct some of the best Bond movies ever made. Even with Craig, who wasn’t a popular choice when he was first cast, the world experienced multi-layered films about the secret spy that went beyond what had been done before. They weren’t just blockbusters; they were cinema.
Yet, there’s no denying that Denis Villeneuve brings a different aura to Bond. No one went to watch Skyfall because Sam Mendes’ name was attached as a director (even if he’s a fantastic filmmaker), but it’s likely that there will be fans tuning into Villeneuve’s Bond movie based purely on his name. After all, he is the filmmaker responsible for Dune, Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, and Sicario. These are modern, visually striking masterpieces that stand out among a deluge of Hollywood sameness. Villeneuve isn’t going to create a Bond movie that fits in with everything done before; he’s about to create the most unique entry in the franchise yet. Although, it’s one of the first films where he doesn’t have final cut privileges, so it remains to be seen how much influence the studio will have on his style and approach.
The next 007 could be a left-field choice
Here’s the thing about Denis Villeneuve: he knows how to pick stars, but he isn’t afraid of choosing the right performer for the part who might not have been anyone’s first choice. In the end, though, you can’t deny that his casting choices work. Rumors have swirled that Amazon’s top three choices for the next Bond are Tom Holland, Jacob Elordi, and Harris Dickinson. Apart from Dickinson, Holland and Elordi seem more like agents using the press to force their clients into the mix, because neither of them screams James Bond immediately. That being said, don’t be surprised if Villeneuve sees something in them that we might all be missing, and Holland becomes both Spider-Man and 007 to send the internet into a collective meltdown.
Since Amazon MGM Studios is all in on Bond now, and there have been discussions about expanding the universe beyond film, there is the possibility that the new 007 has already been cast. IO Interactive is developing a James Bond video game titled 007 First Light, which will serve as an early origin story to how Bond becomes an agent. The game is due in 2026, but the developer is being extremely cagey about discussing the likeness and voice of the actor playing Bond. Internet sleuths, though, believe they have figured it out: Patrick Gibson from Dexter: First Sin.
It might be a long shot, but what if the reason that IO Interactive isn’t announcing Gibson as Bond in 007 First Light is because Amazon MGM Studios wants to drop the big news first? Gibson might not be a dream fan casting, such as Idris Elba or Henry Cavill, but he would be an inspired choice for the part. He would also fit the mold of how Villeneuve prefers to work with talented rather than just famous actors.
Are we about to get the best Bond movie of all time?
It’s funny to see how the internet finds itself in a tailspin about 007 news. Not many people were happy about how Barbara Broccoli was ousted because of her choice words about Amazon execs, especially since she has been adamant that Bond shouldn’t be turned into a shared universe like Amazon envisions. However, Amazon MGM Studios quickly won back the audience with the announcement that Denis Villeneuve would helm the next chapter in James Bond’s legacy.
On paper, this looks like an inevitable home run, though it’s always possible that Hollywood execs can’t get out of their own way. The audience appears to be all franchised out, but Amazon wants to maximize its investment and expand the universe, so who knows what will happen here? Time will tell. However, if Amazon steps aside and gives Villeneuve the license to cook, it’s highly likely that we could receive the best James Bond movie ever. The film is meant to be released in 2028, but quite frankly, it can’t come soon enough!
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