TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Director Denis Villeneuve has been appointed to direct the 26th film of the James Bond franchise produced by Amazon MGM Studios. This news was first reported by the Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 local time, cited from Antaranews.
Denis Villeneuve described this task as a great responsibility, but also very exciting and a great honor for him.
"Some of my earliest memories are related to 007 films. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, starting from Dr. No with Sean Connery. I am a big Bond fan. For me, this is a sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and pave the way for many new missions to come," Villeneuve said as quoted from Antara, June 29, 2025.
James Bond is one of the most prestigious and sought-after franchises for filmmakers. Previously, several renowned directors such as Edward Berger (Conclave), Edgar Wright (Baby Driver), Paul King (Paddington), and Jonathan Nolan (Showrunner Fallout) were also mentioned as potential directors for this film. The studio even expressed interest in collaborating with Christopher Nolan, although it never materialized, while Alfonso Cuarn also declined the offer.
The 26th Bond film will be the first film produced after Amazon officially acquired MGM for 8.45 billion US dollars in 2022, giving Amazon the distribution rights to all future Bond films. This film will also be a continuation of No Time to Die (2021) which marked the departure of Daniel Craig from the role of agent 007.
As of now, there is no definite schedule regarding the production of the latest Bond film. Amazon MGM Studios is still looking for a screenwriter who will collaborate with Villeneuve in bringing this new incarnation of the secret agent to the big screen.
Meanwhile, Villeneuve is still busy preparing for Dune: Messiah, the third sequel to the Dune saga, which is scheduled to begin filming this summer. If the production schedule for Dune goes as planned, the 26th Bond film is likely to be released no earlier than 2028.
Regarding the latest Bond actor, Variety reports that producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman are considering several popular names such as Jacob Elordi, Tom Holland, and Harris Dickinson, all of whom are still under 30 years old.
The studio is said to be looking for a young British or, in Elordi's case, Australian actor, so names like Henry Cavill or Aaron Taylor-Johnson seem to no longer be the main candidates. However, Variety asserts that there have been no official meetings with these actors yet.
Production mitigation also involves Villeneuve's wife and artistic partner, Tanya Lapointe, who will serve as an executive producer. Meanwhile, Amy Pascal and David Heyman will serve as the main producers.
For a long time, Villeneuve has expressed interest in the character of James Bond. In 2015, he told Comingsoon.net that a well-made action film is a poetic and meaningful art, and Bond is the pinnacle of that genre. He also admitted that he had discussed directing Bond, but at that time it was not the right time as he was preparing for Dune.
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