Denis Villeneuve to Direct Next James Bond Film

Four-time Oscar nominated "Sicario", "Arrival" and "Dune" filmmaker Denis Villeneuve has signed on to direct the next James Bond film for Amazon MGM Studios. The studio made the official announcement on Wednesday. The film will be produced by Amy Pascal and David Heyman, with Tanya Lapointe on board as executive producer.

Villeneuve said the following in a statement: "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".

Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, added: "We are honored that Denis has agreed to direct James Bond's next chapter. He is a cinematic master, whose filmography speaks for itself. From Blade Runner 2049 to Arrival to the Dune films, he has delivered compelling worlds, dynamic visuals, complex characters, and—most importantly—the immersive storytelling that global audiences yearn to experience in theaters. 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."

Pascal and Heyman also said: "Denis Villeneuve has been in love with James Bond movies since he was a little boy. It was always his dream to make this movie, and now it's ours, too. We are lucky to be in the hands of this extraordinary filmmaker."

Other high-profile directors in the running for the job included Edward Berger, Edgar Wright, Jonathan Nolan and Paul King. There were even reports that considered Alfonso Cuaron a shoo-in for the job. The Bond directing gig attracted a lot of attention ever since Amazon MGM acquired full creative control of the franchise in February in a historic deal with longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson that resulted in a new joint venture.

Amazon MGM Studios gained distribution rights to Bond with the acquisition of MGM Studios for $8.5 billion in 2022, and there have been no new projects in the franchise since Daniel Craig ended his run with "No Time to Die" in the fall of 2021. Presumably, that had something to do with creative differences with the franchise's previous owners.

It will be interesting to see how Villeneuve will fit the new James Bond movie into his busy schedule, which includes a challenging third and final "Dune" film for Warner Bros and Legendary Entertainment. The sci-fi epic will begin filming this summer and will open in theaters on December 16, 2026. He is also linked to other projects in development including "Cleopatra", a historical epic starring Zendaya that Sony considers their "Gone with the Wind"; an adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke's classic sci-fi novel "Rendezvous with Rama"; and "Nuclear War: A Scenario", an adaptation of the non-fiction book by Annie Jacobsen.

---

     RELATED POSTS :

• Shemar Moore to Reprise Role as Hondo in Spinoff S.W.A.T. EXILES
• New Ryan Murphy Series THE SHARDS is in the Works Starring Kaia Gerber
• Rambo Origin Movie JOHN RAMBO In the Works From SISU Director Jalmari Helander
• Brie Larson to Star in Creature Horror FAIL SAFE Produced by J.J. Abrams
• Weekend Box Office: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON Beats LILO & STITCH In Duel of the Live-Action Remakes
• Zach Braff Set To Return For SCRUBS Reboot
• Eva Longoria to Direct Netflix Comedy THE FIFTH WHEEL Starring Kim Kardashian and Paul Pell
• T'Nia Miller Cast As Jocasta In Marvel's VISION Series
• Riley Keough to Star in Drama OUT OF THIS WORLD About US-Russia Rivalry Amid Ukrainian War
• Melissa George To Star In New Zealand Crime Dramedy MS. X
• Mike Flanagan's CARRIE Series Sets Main Cast
• Conan O'Brien Joins Disney and Pixar's TOY STORY 5
• Andrew Koji, Jason Momoa, Noah Centineo & Roman Reigns to Star in Street Fighter Movie
• TULSA KING Spinoff Starring Samuel L. Jackson in the Works at Paramount+
• Dwayne Johnson Joins A24 Psychological Thriller BREAKTHROUGH
• Mia Goth Joins Shawn Levy's STAR WARS: STARFIGHTER
• Weekend Box Office: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON Beats 28 YEARS LATER In Its Sophomore Frame While ELIO Tanks
• Denzel Washington, Robert Pattinson and Daisy Edgar-Jones to Star in Heist Movie HERE COMES THE FLOOD
• CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS 7 to Star Milo Ventimiglia, Kiernan Shipka and Michael Rooker