Martin Campbell pulled off the impossible twice — reinventing James Bond with GoldenEye and again with Casino Royale. So when he’s got thoughts on how to kick off the next era of 007, you’d better believe it’s advice worth hearing.
Denis Villeneuve is set to direct the next James Bond movie, which will be the first released by Amazon MGM Studios. Fans have been anxious about how the iconic secret agent might change under the company’s control, but Campbell’s advice is straightforward. “Don’t break what isn’t broken,” he told GoldDerby. “It doesn’t need to be a reboot — it just needs to be a bloody good Bond film!“
He continued, “If we released GoldenEye or Casino Royale again next week, they’d feel just as potent. So don’t f–k with it, basically. There’s a lot of fertile ground for Bond, particularly the way the world is at the moment. I just hope that they don’t break what’s not broken!“
He’s not wrong. It doesn’t need to be a bloated, universe-redefining epic. Just give us a cool, classy, kick-ass Bond adventure that actually feels like the 007 we grew up with.
Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders) is set to write the script for the new Bond movie, and once Villeneuve completes work on Dune: Part Three, he will start the search for the next 007. Several names have been suggested as possible contenders, including Henry Cavill, Idris Elba, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and others. However, Villeneuve is reportedly seeking an unknown British actor in his late 20s or early 30s to play the role. As fun as some of the fan-casting has been, going for a fresh face feels like the best bet to me.
In a statement released when he got the gig, Villeneuve expressed his enthusiasm about taking the helm of one of his favourite franchises. “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,” said Villeneuve. “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. Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.“
