The producers of James Bond are interested in hiring a female director to work on the next film in the series. No Time to Die was the latest installment in the long running James Bond franchise, and wowed fans and critics alike with its ambition and bold narrative choices. The film marked Daniel Craig’s last outing as 007, and since his departure rumors and speculation about who might take up the role next have mounted. Some of the names that have been suggested are British actors Regé-Jean Page, Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, and Jamie Dornan, but some debate has also focused on whether or not the character could be recast as a woman.
Whoever the next actor to play James Bond is, the choice of the next director will be equally important, since they will have a huge job on their hands. With the departure of Craig, and the shocking ending of No Time to Die, the next Bond film could be one of the most important in the franchise’s history. After Craig's 007 perished in the film's final act, the next movie will be tasked with introducing a new Bond, as well as creating a brand new story to follow No Time to Die. Due to this significant challenge, the next Bond film will require a director with experience and vision, and one director who has come close to putting himself into contention is Denis Villeneuve. The director of Arrival and Dune recently said he “would deeply love to one day make a James Bond movie,” however he will likely be too busy making Dune 2 or his adaption of the science fiction novel Rendezvous with Rama to helm the next one. So, Bond producers will have to look elsewhere for a filmmaker.
Now, in comments made on The Deadline: Crew Call podcast, long-time Bond movie producer Barbara Broccoli has revealed more detail about who the next director could be. When discussing the next film in the 007 series, the producer was asked when audiences could expect to see a female director. Broccoli responded that she’d “love to have a female director” and that search to follow-up No Time to Die director Cary Joji Fukunaga will start “sometime this year.” Check out Broccoli’s full comments below:
"I’d love to have a female [director]. We’d love to do that. I’d love to have a female director. We’ll have to see what happens, we’ll start the process sometime this year I guess, and we’ll see where it takes us."
While Broccoli mentions no names, the fact that the team behind the James Bond franchise are keen to appoint a female director will be of interest to both new and long-time fans, as well as cinema audiences more broadly. Broccoli's comments signal increasing efforts by Hollywood for greater equality of opportunity behind the camera, which have been long called for by women in the film industry. Fans may begin to consider which big names could take on such an immense project, and directors like Patty Jenkins, Kathryn Bigelow, Chloé Zhao, or Greta Gerwig will no doubt find themselves subject to questions and rumors.
Whichever director takes on the next James Bond film will have big shoes to fill, but will also have the benefit of working from an almost blank slate. The choices that the director of the next film makes, with characters, story-arcs, and setting, could shape the long-term future of the franchise in a post-Daniel Craig era. It's exciting to know that some initial decisions on the film, and potentially the casting of the next James Bond, could be made this year. Hopefully, fans won't have long to wait before more is revealed about who will be taking on the mammoth task that is helming the next James Bond film.
Source: The Deadline: Crew Call Podcast