The next James Bond movie just found its director
Oscar-nominated Denis Villeneuve will direct the next "James Bond" film, Amazon MGM Studios has announced.
Amazon announced Wednesday, June 25, that the "Dune" director will helm the film – the first under Amazon MGM Studios. The news comes four months after Amazon took creative control of the Bond franchise as part of an agreement with longtime producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, who will focus on "other projects" going forward.
"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," Villeneuve said in a statement.
Villeneuve is the Canadian film director and writer behind critically acclaimed films like "Sicario," "Dune," "Dune: Part Two," "Blade Runner 2049" and "Arrival."
He was nominated for best director at the 2017 Oscars for sci-fi film "Arrival," which starred Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, and for best adapted screenplay for "Dune," based on author Frank Herbert's highly acclaimed 1965 novel of the same name, at the 2022 Oscars.
Amy Pascal and David Heyman will produce the next Bond movie.
'Dune 2' review: Timothee Chalamet sci-fi epic gets it right the second time around
Who is the next James Bond?
Just after news of the Amazon deal was announced, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos asked followers on X, "Who'd you pick as the next Bond?"
The longest-running movie series has yet to name a new lead actor following Daniel Craig's final outing as 007 in "No Time to Die" in 2021, which earned nearly $800 million at the global box office.
Next Bond movie release date
Amazon MGM Studios has not revealed when the next Bond movie will be released.
James Bond is now controlled by Amazon, Jeff Bezos solicits casting ideas
Inside Amazon MGM Studios takeover of Bond franchise
Amazon MGM Studios, Wilson and Broccoli remain co-owners of the franchise.
The creative takeover marked the end of an era for Bond, a franchise that Broccoli and her half-brother Wilson have controlled since 1995. The film series began with 1962's "Dr. No" under the stewardship of Albert R. Broccoli, Barbara's father, and Harry Saltzman.
Amazon gained the rights to distribute the Bond films after acquiring MGM in 2022, the year after "No Time to Die," though Wilson and Broccoli retained creative control. The deal could also open the door for Amazon to expand Bond into new areas, such as spinoff films and streaming shows. The company previously released "007: Road to a Million," a reality competition show based on the world of Bond, in 2023.
Contributing: Reuters; Brendan Morrow and Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY
This story has been updated to include additional information.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
19 minutes ago
- New York Post
Don't let this early Prime Day deal float away: The LEGO ‘Up' set is 42% off
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change. It's almost July, so you might be wondering, When is Prime Day 2025? Well, for starters, it's sooner than you might think. The first-ever four-day Prime Day begins on July 8 and ends on July 11; however, great deals are already available to shop on Amazon right now. Looking for a fun weekend activity to beat the heat (or the rain) and save a few bucks while you're at it? As a LEGO builder myself, there's nothing I love more than putting a movie on and spending an afternoon with a brand new set. Advertisement Right now, with an Amazon Prime membership, you can shop one of the best early Prime Day LEGO deals we've found so far and have it on your doorstep tomorrow. Right now, the LEGO recreation of the house from Disney and Pixar's 'Up' is 42% off — a.k.a. the lowest price we've seen on this set since Amazon's Big Spring Sale in March. The set, which measures over 10.5 inches tall when built, includes the colorful bouquet of balloons that allows the house to take flight during the film, and you aren't just building the exterior, but detailed interior rooms that include easter eggs related to the film. So fire up Disney+, press play on 'Up,' and get to building! Relive a beloved adventure with the LEGO Disney and Pixar 'Up' House, a 598-piece building set featuring Carl, Russell, and Dug minifigures. This colorful model includes the iconic balloon-lifted house with detailed interiors, such as Carl's living room and porch, plus a chimney packed with vibrant balloon elements. Perfect for Disney fans aged 9 and up, it's a charming display piece and a fun, nostalgic build. For over 200 years, the New York Post has been America's go-to source for bold news, engaging stories, in-depth reporting, and now, insightful shopping guidance. We're not just thorough reporters – we sift through mountains of information, test and compare products, and consult experts on any topics we aren't already schooled specialists in to deliver useful, realistic product recommendations based on our extensive and hands-on analysis. Here at The Post, we're known for being brutally honest – we clearly label partnership content, and whether we receive anything from affiliate links, so you always know where we stand. We routinely update content to reflect current research and expert advice, provide context (and wit) and ensure our links work. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change. Looking for a headline-worthy haul? Keep shopping Post Wanted.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
How ‘Sorry, Baby' writer-producer-star Eva Victor made the year's most exciting debut
The Oscar-winning producer of 'Moonlight' really wanted to get in touch with Eva Victor. Adele Romanski and her producing partner Mark Ceryak were 'kind of obsessed' with the short, comedic videos Victor was putting out on various social media platforms. Titles of some that still exist online include 'when I definitely did not murder my husband' and a series called 'Eva vs. Anxiety.' Romanski and Ceryak started bugging their Pastel productions partner Barry Jenkins, certainly the most well-known name of the bunch, to make the first move and send Victor a direct message. But they had to ask themselves a big question first: Would that be weird? 'We had to negotiate whether or not that was appropriate for Barry, a married man, to send Eva a DM,' Romanski said. 'We were like 'yessss, do it!'' What started as a curiosity about a distinct voice, someone whose observations about the world and society were hilarious, sharp and undeniable, just a few years later would become one of the most exciting debuts in recent memory. 'Sorry, Baby,' which Victor wrote, directed and stars in, is a gentle film about trauma. It's also funny and strange and fresh, a wholly original statement from an artist with a vision. And there's a cat too. The film opens Friday in New York and Los Angeles and expands nationwide in the coming weeks. A boost from Barry Jenkins It's a wild turn of events for Victor, who goes by they/she pronouns and who never dared to dream that they could possibly direct. Victor grew up in San Francisco in a family that cherished and pursued artistic endeavors, even if it wasn't their primary careers. At Northwestern University, Victor focused on playwriting — it was something they could have control over while also pursuing acting. After college it was improv, writing for the satirical website Reductress ('Woman Seduced by Bangs Despite Knowing They're Bad for Her,' 'How to Cut Out All the People who are Not Obsessed with Your Dog'), some acting gigs, like a recurring role on the Showtime series 'Billions,' and social media, where their tweets and videos often went viral. But there was an itch to work on something longer form, something beyond that immediate gratification of virality. Jenkins' message came at the right time. Then at Victor's first meeting at Pastel productions, he planted a seed of an idea: Maybe Victor was already a director. 'He said something that very profoundly impacted me: That the comedy videos I was doing were me directing without me realizing it,' Victor said. 'It was just a different scale. That kind of stuck with me.' 'Sorry, Baby' was born out of a personal story that Victor had wanted to write about for a while. After the general meeting, they had a renewed sense of purpose and went away one snowy winter to a cabin in Maine to write, with their cat, movies and books as companions. The screenplay, in which a New England graduate student named Agnes is assaulted by her thesis adviser, poured out of them. 'I wanted to make a film that was about feeling stuck when everyone around you keeps moving that didn't center any violence. The goal was to have the film and its structure support the time afterwards, not the actual experience,' Victor said. 'I really think the thing it's about is trying to heal and the slow pace at which healing comes and how it's really not linear and how there are joys to be found in the everyday and especially in very affirming friendships and sometimes, like, a sandwich depending on the day.' Somewhere along the way Victor started to also believe that they were the best person for the job. They were the only person standing in their way. 'The less focus there was on me as the creator of it, and the more focus there was on how to tell the story as effectively as possible, the more comfortable I became,' Victor said. 'I understood exactly what I wanted it to look and feel like.' Learning to direct But there was a lot to learn. Before the shoot, Victor also asked Jane Schoenbrun, who they'd met once for pie, if they could come to the 'I Saw the TV Glow' set to just watch. Schoenbrun said yes. 'It was a completely wonderful, transforming experience of friendship and learning,' Victor said. 'Jane is so confident about what they want in their films and it was a real honor to watch them so many decisions and stay so calm.' Empowered by what they'd seen, Victor assembled a 'dream team' of experts, like cinematographer Mia Cioffi Henry who also teaches at NYU and an editor, Alex O'Flinn, who teaches at UCLA. Victor rounded out the cast with Lucas Hedges, as a kind neighbor, 'Billions' alum Louis Cancelmi, as the thesis adviser, and Naomi Ackie as her best friend Lydie – the first person she talks to after the incident, the one who accompanies her to the hospital, and the one whose life doesn't stop. 'We built the schedule in a way that allowed us to have all our friendship fun scenes at first,' Victor said. 'We kind of got to go through the experience of building a friendship in real time.' Ackie immediately connected to the script and thought whoever wrote it, 'must be the coolest.' The reality of Victor, she said, did not disappoint. 'They don't realize how magnetic their openness is,' Ackie said. 'There's something extremely honest about them and curious and playful.' A Sundance sensation Romanski and everyone at Pastel productions knew they had something special, a gem even. 'They're chasing something tonally that I've never seen anybody go after before,' Romanski said. 'It's the blend of both a very, very specific, personal comedic tone and also a true sense of artistry.' But nothing's ever guaranteed until you put it in front of a public audience, which they did earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival where it quickly became a breakout sensation, with standing ovations and the screenwriting award, whose past winners include Lisa Cholodenko, Kenneth Lonergan, Christopher Nolan and Debra Granik. 'You just don't know. Then on the other side, you know,' Romanski said. 'We felt it with 'Aftersun.' We felt it with 'Moonlight.' And we definitely felt it with 'Sorry, Baby.'' And like 'Aftersun' and 'Moonlight' before it, 'Sorry, Baby' also found a home with A24, which promised a theatrical release. Among the giants of the summer movie calendar, in which everything is big, bigger, biggest, 'Sorry, Baby' is the delicate discovery. 'I wanted it to exist in this space between reality and escape. I wanted it to be this immersive thing,' Victor said. 'It's a sensitive film. I hope it finds people when they need it. That's my biggest wish.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The best Amazon Prime Day early deals to shop now before the July 8-11 sales event
We all love witnessing an iconic comeback, whether it's Michael Jordan's triumphant 1995 return to basketball or Pamela Anderson's recent rise to celebrated-actress status. But for shopping editors, there's another kind of resurgence that makes us giddy with excitement. I'm talking about Amazon Prime Day, of course, which is officially a go. (Insert confetti emoji here.) The online retail giant announced that its highly anticipated savings extravaganza, Amazon Prime Day 2025, will be twice as long this year, kicking off on Tuesday, July 8 and wrapping up Friday, July 11. That's 96 hours of deals, and according to Amazon, this splashy sale will be chock-full of "deep discounts across more than 35 categories including electronics, kitchen, beauty and apparel." In short, there's a little — or a lot of — something for everyone. Now, if this will be your first Prime Day rodeo, here are some basics to keep in mind: The majority of the best Prime Day deals are, as the name implies, exclusively for Prime members. That means you'll need an Amazon Prime membership to take advantage of the steepest markdowns and score the lowest prices. Signing up is easy, and you can even opt for a free 30-day trial before committing to a plan. After that, you'll be charged $14.99 per month, which grants you access to dedicated deals, fast and free shipping, Prime streaming content and more. Our trusty team of shopping experts will be providing more updates as it gets closer, and in the meantime? If the prospect of scoring fabulous prices on home essentials, tech gear and more excites you, you don't have to wait until next month. We've spied some stellar on-sale gems at Amazon already — after all, the early bird gets the worm... If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
