Amazon MGM Studios has officially announced that Denis Villeneuve — the man who made sandworms sexy and Blade Runner cerebral again — has been chosen to direct the next James Bond film. That’s right: the guy responsible for Dune, Arrival, and Prisoners is now taking the wheel of MI6’s most iconic export.
While no actor has been confirmed for the role of 007 just yet, the rumor mill is doing its usual thing, which means somewhere out there a British man with a chiseled jawline and a gym membership is nervously updating his IMDb page. With Daniel Craig’s gritty, emotionally repressed Bond bowing out in No Time to Die (literally dead, remember?), the next film is expected to be a full reboot. Again. Because what’s more Bond than reinventing yourself every decade like a tuxedo-wearing phoenix?
Tanya Lapointe, Villeneuve’s longtime producing partner (and wife, so no pressure), is coming aboard as executive producer. Meanwhile, Amy Pascal and David Heyman — two industry heavyweights whose resumes include Spider-Man and Harry Potter — will also serve as producers, meaning this Bond flick will likely have impeccable pacing and a very expensive tie budget.
Villeneuve didn’t pull any punches in his statement, either:
“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.”
So yeah — he’s not just doing Bond. He’s feeling Bond. Like, childhood-memory, dad-hug, full-circle moment Bond. Prepare yourselves for a tuxedoed agent brooding in a windswept desert while existential monologues play over Hans Zimmer’s heartbeat-pounding score.
This follows Amazon’s 2022 acquisition of MGM, the studio that’s been handling Bond since the Cold War was still considered current events. And in case that wasn’t enough corporate consolidation to make you nervous, Amazon MGM Studios recently closed a joint venture with longtime Bond stewards Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. As of now, Amazon MGM Studios now holds creative control over the Bond IP. That’s right — Jeff Bezos, the closest thing we have to an actual Bond villain, technically owns Bond himself. We’ll give you a minute.
With Villeneuve at the helm, the possibilities are endless — but one thing is certain: James Bond will be back. He’ll be moodier. He’ll be more existential. And he will almost certainly look amazing staring down the sights of a PP7 with a silencer.
Now all that’s left to wonder is: who the hell gets to be the next 007? And more importantly, will they survive two hours of emotionally devastating Villeneuve cinematography without ordering a therapist instead of a vodka martini?
