James Whitehead
Amazon and MGM Studios confirmed last night that they have selected no other than Denis Villeneuve to direct the next iteration of Bond. Whilst the news may have come as a surprise to some, this extensive search has been going on for some time. It was back in February where MGM took full creative control over the franchise from the Broccoli family, this move came in part due to a lack of cohesion between the family and the studio over which direction to take this ‘new’ bond in. The move to take control from the Broccoli’s was pushed heavily by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who wanted to see some progress after all the money that was invested to get the rights in the first place.
With the Broccoli’s out of the way, they were allowed to truly push on in their search for a director. Multiple big names were rumoured, from Paul King, Alfonso Cuarón, Edgar Wright and even Jonathan Nolan. One thing we could surmise from these names was that Amazon wanted a big-name director with experience making big, box-office hits. Well they certainly have that with Denis Villeneuve, arguably the hottest director in the world over the last few years.
Denis boasts an almost impeccable CV, consistently producing some of the best films of the year each time he steps into the chair. The only real concern with Denis at the time before this announcement was how many films he currently has in active production. The director is so busy and in such high demand he was ruled out of the running by most people for availability issues.
But luckily for the studio, and for us, it seems they have worked out a timeline that suits everyone. Denis released this statement following the announcement, he said,
“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 Intent 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. Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon and MGM for their trust.”
Amy Pascal and David Heyman are the executive producers from MGM that Denis was referencing. It seems not only have they managed to secure one of the most talented directors working today, but by his own admiration, a huge fan of Bond who will approach this new gargantuan task with respect and awareness, an incredibly positive and exciting sign for any bond fan.
So whilst we wait for a release date or any story details, the next big step for the studio, now they have their director, is to find their 007, with casting sure to be well underway, now they have decided upon their creative direction.
Be sure to check out the Tv and Film News section on the Hits Player for any updates on the casting or other news involving Bond. On there, you can also read about MGM’s takeover of the franchise from the Broccoli estate.
