Denis Villeneuve threatens to overshadow the new James Bond – whoever he is
Villeneuve is an excellent filmmaker. But is he right for the new Bond?
The Amazon/MGM era of James Bond has taken a significant step towards getting the next iteration of Ian Fleming’s famous secret agent to the big screen.
They’ve announced Denis Villeneuve as the director of Bond 26.
Villeneuve is a name that many film fans will know and love, with the French-Canadian filmmaker being behind the recent – and very successful – Dune adaptations, as well as some of the most well-regarded movies of the 21st century, from Blade Runner 2049 to Arrival (for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Director).
His appointment should be cause for celebration; he’s one of the most distinct directors of recent memory, offering movies filled with striking visual grandeur, nerve-shredding tension, as well as a flair for directing subtle and stirring performances from his casts.
He is unquestionably an excellent filmmaker, so why am I left with a sense of doubt over his selection to be the next Bond director?
James Bond was the first franchise I can remember falling in love with (Picture: APC/THA/Shutterstock)Put simply, I think the stature and appeal of Villeneuve as an auteur filmmaker threatens to overshadow what will be the introduction of a brand new actor as James Bond.
First things first: I love Denis. Making a difficult text like Dune into a mainstream cinematic success was a miraculous feat, and I’ve been a keen follower of his work since Prisoners caught my eye with its hypnotically dark atmosphere.
I am also a James Bond fan. It was the first franchise I can remember falling in love with, and I have always enjoyed coming back to it for several reasons. There’s the action, the cars and the gadgets, the corny one-liners, but it is also a fascinating time capsule.
Being over 60 years old allows the series to act as a reflection of the moods and preferences of movie-going audiences across generations.
