Denis Villeneuve will direct the next James Bond film
With the 'Dune' trilogy under his belt and now at least one 'Bond' film, the Canadian director is shaping the decade's slate of blockbusters
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DENIS VILLENEUVE, the Canadian director who’s currently defining the decade’s slate of blockbuster cinema with his Dune triology, will direct the next James Bond film, Amazon MGM announced today.
“Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007,” Villeneuve shared in a statement. “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 honour 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 honour.”
Villeneuve commands that rare mix of critical and commercial acclaim. His two Dune films have so far earned him Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar nominations, grossing a combined USD$1.125 billion worldwide. Villeneuve’s final instalment, Dune: Messiah, is about to start filming, with a scheduled release date for December 2026. For the next feathers in his bedecked blockbuster cap: a historical drama about Cleopatra adapted from Arthur C. Clarke’s 1973 science fiction novel Rendezvous with Rama.
Amazon MGM head Mike Hopkins, the studio that now owns the 007 franchise, said in a statement: “We are honoured that Denis has agreed to direct James Bond’s next chapter. 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.”
Who will play James Bond?
There has been no confirmation on the casting of England’s most famous spy. In the meantime, we summed up our predictions here.
Has Denis Villeneuve directed a James Bond film before?
No, this will be Villeneuve’s first James Bond flick. Though we can see why you’d draw that assumption. What you should be asking instead is why hasn’t he directed a 007 film already?
What is the next James Bond film called?
A title is yet to be announced, but as per the film’s new profile on cinephile platform Letterboxd, the film is currently drafted as Bond 26.
Related:
Who will be the next James Bond? Here are our top 10 predictions
