The Bond 26 Director Race Is Heating Up Again, And I’m Gonna Need A Martini After Reading The Rumored List Of Major Names On The Table

I think a lot of us have felt that the 2025 movie schedule has cast a long shadow on the future of James Bond 26. With a lawsuit challenging 007's copyright status, Amazon-MGM Studios’ potential golden goose looked like they were going to put the brakes on the momentum the project seemed to be gathering. But apparently that’s not the case, as four major directors rumored are rumored to be taking meetings to be the conductor for this hype train.

Bond 26’s Directors Race Alleged Field Is A Winsome Mix

Per rumors being reported by Puck, the rumors of Amazon-MGM’s ambitious Bond 26 plans to get our hero back into theaters by the end of 2027 seem to still be in play. In fact, the lowdown from the publication has sources placing new 007 producing team Amy Pascal and David Heyman in the thick of evaluating this pack of helmers for the job:

Ok, this is getting more interesting than I thought. Naturally Villeneuve’s previous desires to direct Bond are a good fit, and the man’s been tipped before as a good fit. Also Edgar Wright is someone who’s definitely popped up in the past, specifically thanks to Last Night in Soho showing he’s someone who loves the classic 00-formula.

However, the newcomers to the fold are pretty huge standouts. Jonathan Nolan, a hit through narrative driven series like Fallout and a co-writer on The Dark Knight, would be a tremendous hire. Not to mention, Paul King, director of the first two Paddington movies, is a spirited choice as well.

With Edward Berger also in the mix, this could be a sign that the rumored Bourne reboot could be discarding his pitch entirely. It's a crowded field of top tier winners, but at this point you’re probably wondering what happened with Alfonso Cuarón’s rumored case to direct Bond 26?

Well, sadly, these rumors seem to confirm something we’ve heard for some time now, as this report says the Gravity helmer “recently took himself out of consideration.” This changing of the guard certainly gives this subject some much needed energy. And that naturally leads into the order of operations revealed when it comes to this next action-adventure epic.

What The Current Bond 26 Plan Looks Like, According To These Rumors

A new directing candidate for Bond 26 is cool and all, but what does this mean for the road map Amazon-MGM Studios has allegedly laid out? Well, Puck’s reporting claims that path is laid out. And if we’re looking at Bond 26 hitting theaters by the end of 2027, this hypothetical timetable tracks:

Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if a rough idea is already in the chamber, with long time James Bond writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade laying out a framework for the post-No Time To Die introduction of the next Commander Bond. And if the directors in contention really are already thinking about their ideal 007, that also helps grease the rails for the casting process.

All that needs to happen now is for Amazon-MGM’s producing team to pick the vision that best suits their idea for James Bond’s future, and the team that suitably represents that vision. Which, even in the EON Productions era, usually presents the most hangups. But with the speed that's present in the recent days of this process, it doesn't sound insane to think that we might know who the next James Bond is at some point next year.

Considering the recent 007 legal woes that have threatened the future of the series, that feels like a simple walk across the gun barrel. But obviously all of this is far from gospel, so we have plenty of time to get our tuxedos to the cleaners for the big announcement; whenever that may be.