By Michaela Gordoni
The new James Bond movie will happen — it’s just a matter of finding the right director.
Five Hollywood pros names have been thrown around to direct after legacy producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson stepped out of the mix, giving creative control to Amazon MGM.
“The meetings are happening right now, actually,” said Puck’s Matthew Belloni. “In the nearly three months since I first reported that David Heyman and Amy Pascal would be the lead Bond producers, the duo has set get-togethers with several filmmakers vying to make that all-important first film of the post-Broccoli era.”
“Edward Berger has already pitched, per two sources familiar. Denis Villeneuve is set to offer his take, as are Certified British People Edgar Wright; Jonathan Nolan; and Paul King, who has a long relationship with Heyman. Alfonso Cuarón, who also has a strong Heyman relationship and has talked about making a Bond film, recently took himself out of consideration, per these same sources,” the reporter said.
The last Bond movie, NO TIME TO DIE, came out four years ago, and it will likely be a couple more before Bond 26 is ready. After a director is chosen, next will come the script creation and casting.
“The new Amazon brain trust — Heyman, Pascal, and top executives Mike Hopkins and Courtenay Valenti — plan to set the director this summer, then get the script written, then cast the next Bond,” Belloni said. “Though obviously the filmmakers’ thoughts on 007, and who might play him, will come up in the meetings — most of which are taking place at Heyman’s house in London.”
Related: Amazon Prime Looks To Shake Things Up With New James Bond-Inspired Competition Series
If a director is chosen within the next few months, the movie would likely shoot in 2026. That would put the release year somewhere around 2027 or 2028.
An insider said Amazon “knows fans want and expect a movie” and “wants filming to be done by the end of next year.” They also said Daniel Craig’s exit as Bond in NO TIME TO DIE caused a problem because he dies at the end.
Now, “They can’t just pretend it didn’t happen. So they’re now looking at his story as a younger man in a different era.”
Actors rumored to star as Bond are Theo James, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Henry Cavill. A new name that’s been tossed around is Aaron Pierre.
Per an Insider at DanielRPK, the movie’s producers are considering the REBEL RIDGE actor for the role. Amazon needs an actor in his 30s who could play Bond for a decade or more, and Pierre, 31, fits the bill. Being British also helps.
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