Denis Villeneuve to helm next 'Bond' film
Daniel Craig’s successor has not been named. Photo: File
Oscar-nominated Denis Villeneuve will direct the next James Bond film, Amazon's MGM Studios said on Wednesday, taking charge of one of Hollywood's most enigmatic spies and longest-running movie series, as per Reuters.
Villeneuve, the Canadian film director and writer, has earned critical acclaim for films such as Sicario, Dune, Dune: Part Two, Blade Runner 2049, and Arrival.
He was nominated for Best Director at the 2017 Oscars for sci-fi film Arrival, which starred Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, and for Best Adapted Screenplay for Dune, based on author Frank Herbert's highly acclaimed 1965 novel of the same name, at the 2022 Oscars.
"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, said Villeneuve said in a statement.
"I'm a die-hard Bond fan," he continued. " 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. "
The upcoming Bond film will be the first under Amazon's MGM Studios, which took creative control of the film franchise under a new joint venture with longtime rights holders Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli earlier this year. As previously announced, Amy Pascal and David Heyman will serve as producers for the Bond venture.
However, the franchise is yet to name a new lead actor following Daniel Craig's departure after No Time to Die in 2021, which earned nearly $800 million in global box office collections.
Inspired by Ian Fleming's novels, the Bond franchise has spanned over 60 years, grossing more than $7 billion at the global box office, making it one of the most successful ever.
As per Deadline, the Bond directing gig has been the most closely watched in Hollywood ever since Amazon MGM acquired full creative control of the franchise in February.