Film director Denis Villeneuve said it was “a huge honour” to be chosen as the director of the next James Bond movie.
The 57-year-old Canadian filmmaker, whom Amazon MGM chose to oversee the new film, revealed that he was a “die-hard Bond fan” but admitted it was a “massive responsibility”.
In a statement following the announcement, Mr Villenueve said: “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,” he said.
“I’m a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he’s sacred territory. I intend to honour the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come.
He added: “This is a massive responsibility, but also incredibly exciting for me and a huge honour.”
Villanueve’s remarks came hours after Amazon MGM announced his appointment, alongside Tanya Lapointe, who will work as an executive producer on the film.
“We are honored that Denis has agreed to direct James Bond’s next chapter. He is a cinematic master, whose filmography speaks for itself,” said Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.
So, who exactly is the new James Bond director, and what do we know about the upcoming film production?
Who is Denis Villeneuve?
Villenueve is a Canadian-born director and filmmaker and a four-time Academy Award nominee.
He started his film career in Quebec’s French film industry in the 90s before gaining international acclaim and transitioning into Hollywood productions around 2013.
He worked with a number of prominent actors in his earlier films, including Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman in the film Prisoners, and Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro on the production Sicario.
As his career progressed, Villeneuve started to venture further into the realm of sci-fi, working on films such as Blade Runner 2049. He has also received a wealth of awards for his filmmaking work, including several Genie Awards.
His most recent successes include his work as the director of Dune and Dune Part 2, the award-winning space epic featuring Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya. The films which he directed have also been nominated and won several Academy Awards, BAFTAs and Golden Globes.
What do we know about the new James Bond movie?
The last James Bond film, No Time To Die, featuring Daniel Craig, Naomie Harris and Ana de Armas, was released in 2021.
In early 2025, Amazon revealed that it had acquired “creative control” of the James Bond franchise following a $1bn deal in which it formed a joint venture with Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson.
There has been no official confirmation of when the next James Bond production will commence filming at this point.
It is understood that the hunt is still on for the next James Bond, with mounting speculation over which actor may be selected to front the iconic role in upcoming films.
