Reaching for his Walther PPK, Danny Boyle confirms that he has landed the illustrious job of directing Bond 25 and plans to start shooting later this year.
As a piece of cinematic history, the Bond films have followed the suave 007 for decades since Dr. No first hit screens in 1962. There have been many bumps in the road for the long-running franchise, but with a gritty reboot in 2006 with Martin Campbell's Casino Royale, the latest era has seen Daniel Craig's blue-eyed Bond steer the series to greatness. Despite uncertainty over Bond 25, the rumor mill can finally stop turning as MGM finally locks down a director.
Related: Ben Whishaw Says Bond 25 Filming This Year
There were already rumors that Boyle had landed the job, but speaking at a special screening for his new FX show Trust, he told the press (via Metro US) that Bond 25 is next on his agenda:
“We are working on a script right now. And it all depends on that really. I am working on a Richard Curtis script at the moment. We hope to start shooting that in 6 or 7 weeks. Then Bond would be right at the end of the year. But we are working on them both right now.”
While the 61-year-old wouldn't divulge any details on what story he has planned for James this time around, Boyle confirmed he is again working with his long-time collaborator John Hodge (Trainspotting, The Beach, Trance):
“We’ve got an idea, John Hodge, the screenwriter, and I have got this idea, and John is writing it at the moment. And it all depends on how it turns out. It would be foolish of me to give any of it away.”
Fans are sure to be shaken (but not stirred) at the news, finally putting the Bond movies back on track after a shaky time following Sam Mende's Spectre. Although the movie contained all the usual cocktails and carnage of Bond - and even included the iconic villain Blofeld - Spectre was met with mixed reviews. Mendes then confirmed that Spectre would be his last installment of the spy series, throwing the gates open for anyone and everyone to be touted as the next director.
While Spectre left enough threads to carry over to another movie, the news that Christoph Waltz isn't returning as Blofeld presented yet another problem. However, as Craig's fifth outing as Bond, there is also enough of a supporting cast like Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, and Ralph Fiennes for the transition between directors to run smoothly. Also, with Boyle and Harris having worked together before (on 28 Days Later), it should be something of a creative reunion for the director and Miss Moneypenny.
Beating wishlist competition like Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve, Boyle is sure to bring his own unique style to directing 007. As a jack of all trades, Boyle's impressive CV includes everything from real stories (127 Hours), horror (28 Days Later), sci-fi (Sunshine), emotional drama (Slumdog Millionaire), and everything in between. Considering that this will be Craig's final outing, it will be interesting to see what Boyle brings to the table for Bond 25, but expect it to be a suitably grand affair. Offered the chance of a clean slate, Boyle can effectively take this landmark movie wherever he wants, and it looks like Bond 25 is firmly in his crosshairs.
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Source: Metro US
