Edgar Wright, Jean-Marc Vallee reportedly on the list for Bond 25

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

It’s only been a few days since Danny Boyle bowed out of directing duties for BOND 25, and already the world is in a state of panic. With him went the script of screenwriter John Hodge, so word is it’s back to the drawing board for this massive movie that is supposed to start shooting in a few months. The folks at Eon and MGM have some scrambling to do, but a new report claims they may already have some ideas in mind as to who could take over directing duties.

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Sources have told Deadline that one of the directors the producers are looking at is Jean-Marc Vallee to take on the latest Bond adventure. The director is most known for his Oscar-nominated movies DALLAS BUYERS CLUB and WILD, while his HBO shows BIG LITTLE LIES and SHARP OBJECTS have received mountains of praise. Deadline notes that even though he’s someone on the list, Vallee may not be available to direct due to scheduling.

Another name on the list is reportedly Edgar Wright, who has expressed an interest in directing a Bond movie in the past. He’s currently riding a wave after last year’s BABY DRIVER was one of the best-reviewed movies of the year, cracking $100 million at the box office. He still has yet to solidify his next project, although a sequel to BABY has been mentioned here and there.

Other talented directors have been on the lists in the past, such as Denis Villeneuve (BLADE RUNNER 2049), Yann Demange (’71, WHITE BOY RICK) and David Mackenzie (HELL OR HIGH WATER, OUTLAW KING). But according to a report from Variety we covered yesterday, Eon and MGM seem keen on hiring a new screenwriter as well, as producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli didn’t want Hodge’s latest draft, nor are they interested in the draft from long-time Bond writers Robert Wade and Neal Purvis. This means they need a new director and screenwriter to come on board and be ready to go by December or January, lest they risk having to push the release back.

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If Vallee and Wright are indeed in the mix it means the producers are clearly open to exploring various styles for BOND 25. We would get two very different movies from either of them, with Vallee favoring heavily dramatic projects that are filmed in a more improvised way as to favor the actor as they explore the character in the moment. Then we have Wright, who is very precise and has a clear vision for what he wants to do, making him better suited for action movies, but could mean a lengthy pre-production, which he may not have time for. 

BOND 25 is still slated for November 9, 2019.