There are major movie franchises, and then there's the James Bond movies. Generations grew up watching 007's adventures, and the various actors who have played the role. After Daniel Craig's Bond films came to an end, Amazon-MGM ended up buying control of the property's future, to the concern of some fans. But former Bond Girl Léa Seydoux offered another perspective.
What we know about Bond 26 is limited, but folks are curious who will play the protagonist, and how the franchise might change under Amazon. The change of 007 leadership has definitely turned heads, and during an interview with Variety Seydoux shared her own perspective. The actress offered:
I was a bit sad when I heard that it was sold. But now that it’s Denis, I was like, ‘Oh, at least it’s him, so it will be cinema.'
Honestly, she's made some points. It sounds like the Spectre actress shared the same concerns about Bond's new leadership... until it was revealed that filmmaker Denis Villeneuve would be behind the camera. He's an accomplished director, and she personally worked with him on Dune: Part Two (which is streaming now with a HBO Max subscription). And his talents and commitment to the theatrical experience seems to have quelled her concerns about the future of 007.
Denis Villeneuve is an acclaimed Oscar-nominated filmmaker, whose work includes projects like the Dune movies, Arrival, Sicario, and Blade Runner 2049. All of these movies were crafted for the big screen, and are both visually appealing and emotionally impactful. So on paper he seems like the perfect filmmaker to direct the next James Bond film.
Not much has been revealed about what's going to go down in Bond 26, so there's plenty of chatter and countless questions circulating around online. For years fans have been betting about who will replace Daniel Craig as James. Although the latest rumors claim that the studio is seeking a very young actor to play the beloved MI6 agent. Hopefully the fandom gets some information from Villeneuve and company sooner rather than later.
Léa Seydoux made her James Bond debut in 2015's Spectre as Madeleine Swann , one of the most important Bond Girl from Craig's tenure as the hero. She'd go on to reprise her role in No Time To Die, and be the subject of some thrilling plot twists. As such, she is particularly qualified to speak on the franchise. Add in her time working with Denis Villeneuve, and I'm sure her above comments hold particular weight for fans.
It's currently unclear when Bond 26 will arrive in theaters, but the public is definitely invested. But Villeneuve will return to the big screen with Dune: Part Three on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list.
