Denis Villeneuve will direct the next James Bond film, Amazon MGM Studios has announced. Villeneuve will also serve as executive Producer, alongside Tanya Lapointe. As previously announced, Amy Pascal and David Heyman will serve as producers. 

“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. “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. Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.”

Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, added, “We are honored that Denis has agreed to direct James Bond’s next chapter. He is a cinematic master, whose filmography speaks for itself. 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. 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.”

Pascal and Heyman said, “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.”

Villeneuve is an acclaimed, Oscar-nominated French-Canadian filmmaker who most recently helmed “Dune” and “Dune: Part Two.” Additional directing credits include “Blade Runner 2049,” “Arrival,” “Sicario,” “Prisoners,” “Enemy” and “Incendies.”

Pascal will produce the film via Pascal Pictures, and Heyman will produce via Heyday Films. The duo officially signed on to the franchise’s next installment in March, after Amazon MGM struck a landmark deal with longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson that saw them cede creative control of the Bond franchise to the streaming giant.

When Amazon purchased MGM in 2021 (to the tune of $8.5 billion), the streamer acquired the rights to distribute the highly lucrative James Bond films, but only owned 50% of the franchise and was relegated to being a passive partner in terms of artistic choices. Thus, after years of stalls and false starts on a new installment following 2021’s “No Time to Die,” which saw Daniel Craig’s five-film tenure end explosively, the three entities — Wilson, Broccoli and Amazon MGM — formed a joint venture to house the intellectual property rights while allowing all three to remain co-owners of the property.

At CinemaCon in April, Amazon executives Courtenay Valenti and Sue Kroll teased that Pascal and Heyman were hard at work a “fresh, exhilarating new chapter” to the franchise.

“We are committed to honoring the legacy of this iconic character,” Valenti and Kroll said on stage at Caesars Palace. “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.”

Now, the question is who Villeneuve will cast as the martini-sipping superspy? Variety assembled a list of some worthy contenders.

Villeneuve is represented by CAA, Carlos Goodman and ID.