Denis Villeneuve, director of “Dune” and “Sicario,” has been chosen to helm the next James Bond film. The arrangement comes with some unusual conditions, including Villeneuve not receiving final cut privileges on the film. This decision aligns with long-standing tradition within the franchise.
No Bond director has ever been granted final cut authority while the franchise was under the creative oversight of the Broccoli family. Amazon MGM continues this policy, even after paying Barbara Broccoli over $1 billion for exclusive creative control of the series.
Villeneuve is expected to wrap up production on his third “Dune” installment before focusing on the Bond project. Once available, he will likely contribute his own revisions to the screenplay.
Producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman are leading the Bond remake for Amazon MGM. They decided to hire Villeneuve over other notable directors like Edward Berger, Edgar Wright, Jonathan Nolan, and Paul King. Casting for the new James Bond is expected to begin once the script is finalized.
Amazon and the producers are seeking an actor under 30 to lead the first installment of what they hope will become a long-running franchise. The three actors currently on the shortlist for the role are Jacob Elordi, Tom Holland, and Harris Dickinson.
Notably, Villeneuve likely won’t have final say over who will be cast for the role, according to Deadline’s Justin Kroll. He also wasn’t initially considered by Amazon and the producers, with Christopher Nolan and Alfonso Cuarón being sought before him.
The hiring of Villeneuve marks a dream project for Pascal and Heyman, who express their excitement about working with an exceptional filmmaker. However, there is concern over the lack of final cut privileges on the film, which could potentially spark creative tension between directors and producers.
“Dune: Part Three” is set to begin filming later this summer, with Villeneuve likely not starting work on the Bond film until early 2027.
Source: https://comicbookmovie.com/action/james-bond/intriguing-details-on-denis-villeneuves-james-bond-deal-tom-holland-on-amazon-mgms-shortlist-of-actors-a222493