One of the hottest debates on the internet currently is about who is going to be the next James Bond after Daniel Craig. While fans of 007 are busy praying that their fave actor gets the role, another development has been quietly happening side-by-side. Apparently, a director has come on board to direct and it’s none other than Denis Villeneuve.
Over the years, Villeneuve has made his mark in Hollywood with high-profile films like the recent Dune (2021). It grossed $402 million on a budget of $165 million. But the director has a lot on his plate since he’s now busy with Dune: Part 2 and more. So will he actually find the time to direct the next 007?
Will Denis Villeneuve Direct The Next James Bond Movie?
World of Reel backed up celebrity gossip site DeuxMoi’s claims that Barbara Broccoli, producer of James Bond films, is looking at Denis Villeneuve to direct the next 007 film after No Time To Die. As per the site:
“Although DeuxMoi is not the most reliable of sources, they are reporting on what I’ve also been hearing since January, that Villeneuve is the #1 target for Bond producer Barbara Broccoli.”
But will he do the film if offered? World of Reel thinks so. The outlet reports that Villeneuve was close to directing Daniel Craig’s last Bond film, No Time to Die. But he left the project when he got the opportunity to direct Dune, his dream movie. But this time he might sit on the director’s chair even if he has a boatload of other projects to complete first. As per the site:
“Villeneuve currently has the second chapter of Dune ready to be rolled out in November. He’s also hard at work on his Cleopatra movie. I do wonder if he’ll have the time to take on Bond. I bet he’ll make room for it on his schedule.”
Villeneuve coming on board shouldn’t surprise anyone. After all, the director has confessed to being a longtime James Bond fan.
Denis Villeneuve Is A Fan Of The James Bond Franchise
In 2021, on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, Denis Villeneuve admitted that he was a huge fan of the superspy, who had captivated audiences for decades. He exclaimed that it would be a dream come true for him if he got the opportunity to direct one. As per the acclaimed director:
“Franky — and I cannot believe I would say that — but the answer would be a massive yes. I would deeply love to one day make a James Bond movie. It’s a character that I’ve been with — like everybody — since my childhood. I have massive affection for Bond.”
As for who would be his ideal James Bond, Villeneuve stated that it would be difficult to replace Daniel Craig since he brought something extraordinary to the character. As per the director:
“It would be a big challenge for people to try and reboot it after what Daniel did. What Daniel Craig brought to Bond was so unique and strong and probably unmatchable. He’s the ultimate James Bond.”
World of Reel stated that Christopher Nolan was also once in talks to direct a James Bond film. But the site stated that the Tenet director isn’t ready to helm a 007 project since he’s busy with other projects. Official sources haven’t confirmed yet if Denis Villeneuve has indeed come on board to direct the next Bond film. It remains to be seen if this scoop turns out to be true or not.
No Time To Die is available on Amazon Prime Video.
Source: Happy Sad Confused and World of Reel
