Amazon Has Hired The Perfect Director For James Bond 26 (But There's One Issue)

Wow. Nearly four years after Daniel Craig's tenure as James Bond came to a definitive end in "No Time to Die," we finally have a director for the next 007 film, and somehow, the filmmaker on deck is one of Hollywood's boldest visionaries. Academy Award-nominated director Denis Villeneuve is officially at the helm of "James Bond 26," and to think he's already boasting a filmography that includes beloved intellectual properties such as "Blade Runner" and "Dune." To add Bond to his resume truly is the ultimate flex.

Amazon MGM Studios has confirmed the news to Variety, with Denis Villeneuve himself sharing his official statement, now that he is set to define the next generation of 007, which will likely be expanded upon beyond the big screen motion picture events and into the world of streaming:

"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."

Following the announcement earlier this year that Amazon had taken full creative control over the James Bond franchise, bringing in Denis Villeneuve is an undeniable win for the franchise. Given the overall mixed-to-negative response to the Amazon takeover (yours truly was particularly not pleased), having one of the best filmmakers in the world at the helm will certainly bring some much-needed goodwill amidst all the cynicism that film enthusiasts have expressed now that the streaming age will impact what was one of the definitive exclusively theatrical intellectual properties in pop culture history. But before we celebrate any further, there is one major issue amidst this incredible news.

Denis Villeneuve may already be eager to take on James Bond, but he should lay off the martinis for now in favor of the Spice Melange. Yes, Villeneuve is currently set to complete his planned "Dune" trilogy with his adaptation of Frank Herbert's sequel, "Dune: Messiah." The third and final entry in Villeneuve's trilogy is looking to begin principal photography this summer, with reports claiming that the ever-so busy Robert Pattinson may be joining the film as Scytale. Legendary Pictures is also looking to release the film in December 2026. Given that he'll be busy on Arrakis, don't expect to see "James Bond 26" hit theaters until around 2027 or 2028 at the earliest.

Both parts of Denis Villeneuve's cinematic adaptation of the first "Dune" book have been universally acclaimed. Although "Dune: Part One" had to deal with WarnerMedia's disastrous decision to release the entirety of Warner Bros' 2021 film slate day-and-date with HBO Max (a decision that Villeneuve himself despised), it still grossed an impressive $410.6 million on a budget of $165 million. As for "Dune: Part Two," it grossed an even more impressive $714.7 million on a budget of $190 million. Both films were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture in their respective release years, although Villeneuve was woefully snubbed for Best Director both times.

By the time he completes his commitments on Arrakis, Denis Villeneuve will be free to start bringing his vision for "James Bond 26" to life. Part of what makes his hiring so exciting is not just the fact that it will be another opportunity for him to put his definitive creative stamp on cinema's most famous espionage series, but he will also set the foundation of who, what, and when our new 007 signifies. Villeneuve will have a hand in casting the 7th official actor to play James Bond, and whether or not he opts to direct sequels, this film will jumpstart an entirely new era that will, for better or worse, include spinoffs.

There is much to be cynical about the Amazon takeover, but we can at least guarantee that Denis Villeneuve will not phone it in with "James Bond 26." His brilliant work was on powerful display through smaller-scale human stories such as "Prisoners," "Sicario," and "Arrival." By the time he made the jump to legendary franchises with "Blade Runner 2049" and both of his "Dune" movies, he had proven himself to be one of the definitive filmmakers of his generation in crafting meaningful projects on a massive scale that are unequivocally his distinct creative vision. Regardless of how long we must wait, his Bond film will be an essential theatrical experience for audiences to look forward to in the next few years.