The next James Bond movie adds high profile director to lead the franchise

Getting Villenueve is a coup, as he has mixed prestige and box office success like few directors of this era. His last two movies were the two "Dune" films, and prior to that he directed "Blade Runner 2049." Okay, so that last film wasn't a huge hit, but the original films "Sicario" and "Arrival" were both critically and financially successful. This is exactly the kind of guy you want to direct Bond if you're Amazon. Also, if you're a Bond fan.

On top of that, Villenueve is a longtime Bond fan who has been on the record for years of his desire to direct a Bond movie. That clip above is from a podcast interview he did in 2021. Upon the release of the news, Villenueve's statement was effusive:

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. 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.

Of course this is just step one. The next Bond movie has a director, but it doesn't have a title...or a screenplay...or a James Bond. This is a strong beginning to the process, though.

(h/t The Hollywood Reporter)