Now that No Time to Die has been released into theaters, where it’s fast closing in on $500 million at the box office after only three weeks, it won’t be long before talk turns to what comes next for James Bond.
Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have confirmed that the casting search will begin anew next year, and plenty of candidates will find themselves subjected to constant rumor and speculation, as will any number of potential directors.
Christopher Nolan’s name will come up as it always does, while Dune‘s Denis Villenueve admitted he’d love to have a crack at cinema’s most famous secret agent, but could Edgar Wright throw his hat into the ring? Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the filmmaker admitted he’d happily pitch Eon if he was offered the opportunity.
“Daniel Craig has made such an indelible mark on that franchise that I think you have to go in a slightly different direction. Because I don’t think there’s anything to be gained by continuing in the same vein, and I think it would certainly be interesting to try and…I mean, I do have a take on Bond, and if they ever ask me, I’ll pitch it to them, so I’m not going to say it, but when I see some of the names being bandied around, I can’t quite see it and they seem like Daniel Craig II.”
Wright’s stylistic sensibilities don’t feel like an ideal fit for James Bond, but that’s not to say he couldn’t handle it. Each of his movies to date have been wildly different in tone and execution, and they’ve all largely been showered in critical acclaim. A $200 million blockbuster would be a hell of a jump, especially when he and Marvel couldn’t quite agree on a shared vision for Ant-Man, but it would be an unexpected and exciting choice to consider.
