It’s official – “Dune,” “Blade Runner 2049” and “Prisoners” director Denis Villeneuve has been tapped to direct the next James Bond movie – the first one at Amazon MGM Studios.

Villeneuve will also serve as executive producer, alongside Tanya Lapointe, with the pair joining already set franchise producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman.

The hiring brings to an end a key question about who will take the helm of the next Bond feature which marks the first since EON handed over full creative control of the franchise to Amazon several months ago.

Villeneuve beat out a short list that included Edward Berger, Edgar Wright and Paul King for the gig. In an official statement, Villeneuve says:

“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. 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.”

Pascal and Heyman added their own statement:

“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 currently prepping “Dune Messiah” which will shoot across much of the second half of this year ahead of a late 2026 release. His hiring isn’t expected to interrupt progress on that.

Amazon will now search for a screenwriter to work with Villeneuve to write the next film which likely won’t hit cinemas until late 2027 at the earliest – more likely 2028.

The project will be the overall 26th title in the franchise and the first since 2021’s “No Time to Die” directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga.

Source: Amazon