From Blade Runner 2049 to Bond 25?
Sources close to UK tabloid Daily Mail (!) have claimed that series star Daniel Craig is pushing for Denis Villeneuve (2049, Arrival) to direct the as-yet-untitled Bond 25. Neither MGM nor EON have announced anything official just yet, but this isn’t the first time that Villeneuve has been linked with the coveted gig.
Two months ago, Deadline brought news that the film’s director shortlist had been whittled down to three, at which time the so-hot-right-now Villeneuve found himself in the company of Yann Demange and David Mackenzie of Hell or High Water fame. Daily Mail didn’t mention the latter two candidates in this latest report though, which leads us to believe that Denis Villeneuve has emerged as an early frontrunner to helm Bond 25.
We should stress that the Daily Mail, like most other UK outlets, has a notoriously spotty track record when it comes to the James Bond franchise, as evidenced by the ‘will he, won’t he?’ saga that surrounded Daniel Craig for months on end. For the record, Craig will indeed pick up that license to kill for the fifth and, seemingly, final time come 2019.
The bigger question now is whether Denis Villeneuve will be the one calling the shots from behind the lens. Following the lukewarm reception to Spectre, Daniel Craig has long made it clear that he wants to exit the James Bond franchise on a high note, so there’s a very good chance he’ll be targeting a prolific director in the vein of Villeneuve.
Whether the Powers That Be can find room on his busy schedule, though, is another matter entirely. Currently in the process of nudging Blade Runner 2049 across the finish line, Denis Villeneuve has agreed to helm the long-in-development Dune reboot for Legendary, which would surely be placed on the back-burner (again!) in order to make Bond 25’s late 2019 release date. Assuming he signs along the dotted line, of course.
Scripted by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, whose James Bond stint spans Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre, the untitled Bond 25 will be with us on November 8th, 2019 – with or without Denis Villeneuve in the director’s chair.
