"I'm a die-hard Bond fan" - Denis Villeneuve expresses gratitude on becoming the director of the next James Bond film

On June 25, 2025, Amazon MGM Studios announced that they have roped in Denis Villeneuve to direct the next installment in the James Bond franchise. The French-Canadian director and screenwriter is the creative force behind acclaimed films like Dune, Dune: Part Two, Arrival, Incendies, Blade Runner 2049, and Sicario.

Along with the announcement on Wednesday, Denis Villeneuve shared an official statement sharing his love for the famous MI6 agent with the license to kill.

"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," he said.

As of this writing, no other information regarding the plot details or production news has been announced.

What is meeting Lady Gaga like? Find out HERE

Denis Villeneuve will lead the next film in the James Bond film series

Denis Villeneuve and his wife Tanya Lapointe as seen at the Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond In The Desert special movie preview in March 2025 (Image via Getty)

The 57-year-old director added that he was "honored" to helm the next chapter in the 007 film franchise.

"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," he said.

Denis Villeneuve is a four-time Oscar nominee, receiving his first nomination for 'Best Director' for the sci-fi drama Arrival in 2017. He was also nominated for 'Best Adapted Screenplay' and 'Best Picture' for Dune in 2022 and 'Best Picture' for Dune: Part Two in 2025.

Villeneuve's appointment also gives him control over choosing the next James Bond after Daniel Craig's exit in 2021. Craig, the seventh James Bond, left the iconic role following the release of No Time to Die in 2021, where his character meets his end.

Search for the next James Bond has been ongoing since 2021, with several British actors like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Idris Elba, and Regé-Jean Page rumored to be in discussion to play the world-renowned spy. However, none have been confirmed by Amazon MGM Studios yet.

Barbara Broccoli, one of the franchise's long-time producers, stated her criteria for the actor playing the 007 role by telling The Associated Press on November 14, 2024:

"It will be a man. He’ll likely be in his 30s. Whiteness is not a given. And whoever says yes is doing so with the expectation of at least a decade’s worth of films."

A look at the producers of the upcoming James Bond film

The next James Bond film will be the first to be released under the banner of Amazon MGM Studios. In 2021, Amazon purchased MGM for $8.45 billion and acquired the rights to distribute the next slate of 007 films.

On March 25, 2025, Amazon MGM Studios confirmed that Amy Pascal and David Heyman will share producing credits on the upcoming film via Pascal Pictures and Heyday Films, respectively.

It also marks the first time that a James Bond movie will not be produced by members of the Broccoli family, who have had creative control of the franchise since its beginning in 1962.

Amy Pascal and David Heyman have produced two of the most lucrative film franchises in recent memory. Pascal produced the three films in the Tom Holland-starrer Spider-Man franchise, which has churned out nearly $4 billion at the box office worldwide.

Meanwhile, Heyman produced the eight films in the Harry Potter franchise, in addition to the three films from the Fantastic Beasts spinoff film series. The two franchises have collectively grossed more than $9.5 billion at the worldwide box office. Heyman is also set to executive produce the upcoming Harry Potter series by HBO that is slated to release in 2026.

Lastly, Denis Villeneuve's wife, fellow filmmaker and journalist Tanya Lapointe, will executive produce the movie.

Stay tuned for more news and updates about Denis Villeneuve and the James Bond film series.

About the author

Deepti is an entertainment writer at Sportskeeda. She comes with more than 6 years of experience in the creative writing field and has written extensively for the entertainment and travel domains.

She holds a degree in Chemistry, but her true interest always lay in the creative field. A passion for reading from a young age fueled her desire to make a career change later in life and take up writing as her profession.

Apart from reading, her hobbies include watching movies, listening to music, and going to the beach. In her free time, she can be found looking up reviews of new and old films to add to her watchlist. She also enjoys watching foreign language films that help expand her knowledge base regarding different cultures around the world.

Asked to describe herself, she would promptly mention that she is a die-hard Swiftie and enjoys nothing more than listening to Taylor Swift songs on loop while writing.

Know More

Edited by Ameen Fatima