Denis Villeneuve is going to direct the next James Bond film

The last James Bond movie, No Time To Die

So, here’s the big news of the week. It has been confirmed that Denis Villeneuve will direct the next James Bond film over at Amazon MGM Studios. The news broke late Wednesday that the Dune and Sicario filmmaker will tackle the franchise, the 26th film in the iconic series.

The new film will be produced by Amy Pascal and David Heyman.

Deadline has a quote from Villeneuve about his new job on the 007 project.

“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. Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.”

I personally think this is great news. He’s handled the Dune series so well, and has brought all kinds of different genres to the screen – everything from crime drama to science fiction adventure and even horror. This is a bold, brilliant choice.

Villeneuve is tied up for a little while, though, with his still working on a third movie in the Dune series. That one isn’t set for a release until the end of next year, so a new James Bond film could be some ways off.

More as we get it.