By Michaela Gordoni
After a menagerie of rumors, we finally know that DUNE director Denis Villeneuve will be the main man behind the camera for Amazon’s new James Bond movie.
“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,” Villeneuve said in a statement. “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,” he continued. “Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.”
Tanya Lapointe will executive produce, and Amy Pascal and David Hayman will produce, Variety reported Wednesday.
Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said his team is proud to have a talented director like Villeneuve.
“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,” Hopkins said of the moviemaker. “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.”
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Pascal and Heyman commented, “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.”
Pascal will produce under Pascal Pictures and Heyman will produce under Heyday Films.
“We are committed to honoring the legacy of this iconic character,” Amazon executives Courtenay Valenti and Sue Kroll said at CinemaCon in April. “They’re both in London getting started and couldn’t be here tonight, but we wanted to thank them for what we know to make an incredible partnership.”
With the director in place, hopefully news of the new Bond actor will come soon.
British actors Theo James, James Norton, Josh O’Connor, Harris Dickinson, Henry Cavill, Aaron Pierre, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Paul Mescal, Regé-Jean Page, Callum Turner, Damson Idris, Richard Madden, Henry Golding and several others are all said to be candidates.
AP News reports production on the movie would likely start next year for a 2027 release date. A 2028 date is also possible, and it’s unlikely that it would get pushed out as far as 2029.
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