Denis Villeneuve Would 'Deeply Love' To Direct A James Bond Movie

Nothing dominates the internet like the question of which actor should play James Bond next. Everyone from Idris Elba to Henry Cavill to Daniel Craig himself has been asked to weigh in on the debate, but flying under the radar has been the equally as important question of which director should take over the reins next. 

Lucky (or not?) for Denis Villeneuve, making the rounds and promoting the upcoming release of "Dune" has landed him squarely in the sights of those who want him to direct the usual buzzy movie properties like, say, a "Batman" movie. While his response to getting involved with that franchise could generously be described as "tepid," fans will be excited to hear that Villeneuve seems downright giddy about the idea of making a James Bond movie one day.

Cary Joji Fukunaga has made franchise history with "No Time to Die" as the first American to direct a "Bond" movie, and has provided a flood of insights for fans to dig into lately, from his pitch for making another film about the superspy to his own personal take on action hero fashion. However, the release of "No Time to Die" will inevitably have everyone looking ahead to what comes next in the post-Craig era of films. Though the debate will rage on until (and probably even after) the next actor to step into the role is officially announced, it's never too early to start throwing filmmaker names into the ring. 

As it happens, Denis Villeneuve is more than happy to do that himself. On Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast for MTV (via IndieWire), Villeneuve could barely contain his excitement over the idea of directing 007, responding to a question about his interest level with, "Frankly, the answer would be a massive yes."

"I would deeply love one day to make a James Bond movie. It's a character that I've been with since my childhood. I have massive affection for Bond. It would be a big challenge to try and reboot it after what Daniel did. What Daniel Craig brought to Bond was so unique and strong and honestly unmatchable. He's the ultimate James Bond. I can't wait to see Cary's movie. I'm very excited. I'm one of the biggest Bond fans."

Compared to the polite non-answers that public figures are trained to give about this sort of thing, Villeneuve's answer feels refreshingly honest and forthcoming. Of course, I must now fulfill my duty as the bearer of bad news because the filmmaker immediately adds a splash of cold water, cautioning that, "I don't know if such a thing would happen, but it would be a privilege. That would be pure cinematic joy." 

Despite his obvious excitement, it's probably a good call to maintain perspective here. If "Dune" continues to perform well in theaters and on HBO Max upon its release in the United States, Villeneuve would likely be busy for the foreseeable future with a sequel. Still, we can dream!

"No Time to Die" opens in theaters today and "Dune" arrives on October 22, 2021.