Sam Mendes has said his “stomach churns” when he looks back on directing James Bond films.
The director made two films in the franchise. The first, Skyfall (2012), was a critical success, while Spectre (2015) garnered very mixed reviews and was described by Forbes as "the worst 007 movie in 30 years".
“When I think of them,” Mendes told The Sunday Times, “my stomach churns. It’s just so hard. You feel like the England football manager. You think, if I win, I’ll survive. If I lose, I’ll be pilloried. There is no victory. Just survival.”
Mendes added that there are too many viewers to please. “Everyone has their own version of it in their head,” he said.
The director is not the only person who will be relieved to be free of the franchise. Craig, whose final Bond film No Time to Die is coming out next year, previously said he would "rather slash my wrists" than reprise the role.
Mendes’ forthcoming feature 1917, which follows two soldiers on a high stakes mission to save lives during the First World War, is the first film he has directed since Skyfall.
1917 will be released in UK cinemas on 10 January 2020.
