License to Thrill: How Denis Villeneuve could reinvent 007

Villeneuve's distinct style could be just what the Bond franchise needs

Ever since 2021’s No Time to Die wrapped up Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond and put the franchise on a four-year and counting hiatus, rumors have swirled about who would don the tuxedo…and who would direct the next installment. And now, we have the answer to one of those questions as Denis Villeneuve has been tapped to take over the director’s chair.

I’ll go on record as a big fan of Villeneuve’s, but have to admit he wouldn’t have been my first pick to direct a Bond movie. In fact, he might not even be in my top five. I envisioned someone like Danny Boyle, Guy Ritchie, Matt Reeves, Damien Chazelle, or even Mark Mylod. But Amazon MGM picked Villeneuve…and they might just be on to something.

There’s no denying Villeneuve is an inventive director with a style all his own. And there’s no reason not to think he won’t bring the atmosphere, philosophical undertones, and visual storytelling of his other movies to a franchise in need of a new direction. Imagine a Bond movie with the dark, cerebral tones of Arrival, Sicario, Dune, and my personal favorite…Blade Runner 2049.

Now, I know it’s a sci-fi movie, but Villeneuve elevated it to a whole other level. And he can do the same thing with Bond. And while it’s true the Daniel Craig movies started moving the needle in that direction, Villeneuve could take it a step further. We could get a more introspective, morally conflicted 007 combined with a moody, modernist aesthetic…something we’ve never really gotten.

Of course, a lot depends on who winds up suiting up as everyone’s favorite British super spy. Names like Tom Hardy, Tom Holland, Timothy Chalamet, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and even Idris Elba have been floated. No matter who’s cast (except maybe Holland), though, I’ve got complete faith Villeneuve can balance the franchise’s legacy while evolving it for modern audiences.

Whether or not audiences embrace the direction he takes it in, however, is a question that won’t be answered until the movie comes out.

Putting all that aside, though, Denis Villeneuve is a brilliant pick to direct the next Bond. His unique, visionary style will bring a bold new direction the franchise needs and could deliver the most cinematically rich Bond movie in a long time.

If Blade Runner 2049 was Denis Villeneuve’s dry run for Bond, then buckle up…007 is about to reach the next level.