Denis Villeneuve Is Your Next Bond Director

I love Denis Villeneuve, but I’ve only seen three of his films. That wasn’t my intention! I hadn’t seen any of his movies before Arrival, and I loved that one. Have watched it plenty since its release, and it makes me cry every time. The plan following that was to watch Blade Runner finally, so I could see his sequel without feeling lost, and I just… didn’t. So, I missed Blade Runner 2049. But Dune came out when I was a relatively new parent, and thanks to a bunch of horrible circumstances, my wife and I were able to watch it at home. We both loved it, and years later, we took separate trips to see the sequel in a theater so we could gush about it.

I love James Bond. There are aspects of the character and his stories that have aged like warm milk next to a radiator, and for that reason, there are Bond films that I simply don’t revisit anymore. That being said, I don’t think his worst qualities have to be used to keep the character going. He can just be a troubled spy who is trying to do good for Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Just do away with all the sexism, misogyny, jingoism, and a few other isms I’m likely forgetting. It’s time for a new Bond, and, were you to ask me yesterday, I wouldn’t have thought Denis Villeneuve would be the person to maybe take Bond into the new age. I would have been at least partially wrong.

Amazon has tapped Villeneuve to make the next Bond movie. The company, which is run by a man who fits every definition of a classic Bond villain, purchased the creative rights to the franchise for around a billion dollars earlier this year and is moving relatively quickly to get 007 back out into the field. Given Villeneuve’s track record, it will be interesting to see how much control he gets here. The Broccoli family, who had controlled the rights for decades, was notoriously controlling of their films. Amazon could go in the opposite direction, or meddle just as significantly. Only time will tell.

Regardless, Villeneuve seems amped for the opportunity to get a few PP7s in front of the camera. “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,” the director said in a statement. “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. Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.”

Maybe I’m wrong, but it doesn’t sound like Denis has any intention of moving the character into a new era. That doesn’t mean he won’t, but calling the character “sacred territory” and wanting to honor “tradition” doesn’t make it sound like this Bond will be too different from the last iterations. Craig’s Bond was definitely a step forward, but it isn’t without its blemishes. All of this is to say I am cautiously optimistic about this choice. I love Villeneuve and I love Bond, but I expected to be jumping out of my skin in excitement at this decision. Instead, it’s more of a “Yeah, cool, dude” response. Maybe when they start casting in earnest, my tone will change. Or, ya know, maybe it’ll get worse.