Broccoli Supports Villeneuve As Bond 26 Director
Barbara Broccoli said she thrilled with the decision for Denis Villeneuve to direct the next Bond film.
During a recent interview on the Kermode On Film podcast, host Mark Kermode asked Broccoli about the selection of Villeneuve that was announced to direct the first Bond film that will be made under Amazon MGM Studios.
Broccoli said, “He’s a fantastic filmmaker, I’m thrilled he’s going to be doing it.”
Since the announcement in February 2025, that longtime Bond producers Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson would be stepping back from the Bond films and giving complete creative control of 007 to Amazon MGM Studios, there have been consistent updates about the progress of the next Bond film. Producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman were announced. Villeneuve was announced as the director. Amazon clearly wasn’t wasting anytime to get a new Bond film made.
But Eon has been silent and no comments from them have been heard since February – until that July 15th podcast of Kermode On Film.
Broccoli and director John Carney were there to discuss and promote the stage show of Sing Street, which Broccoli produced. She has kept busy since No Time To Die and sounded like she was ready to leave Bond to focus on other projects in future.
“You know, I did it for 44 years and I loved every minute of it, but I’m getting up there now and there’s a lot of things I want to do, like this beautiful musical. I’m doing a lot of other things. I have other movies I want to make and other stage shows.”
I’m sure Broccoli will be asked to comment when other announcements of Bond’s future will happen. I’d be surprised if we didn’t see her and Wilson at the premiere of the film as well. I think Amazon would like to show Bond fans Eon is in full support of this next era of James Bond.
You know John seeing the Broccolis no longer in charge makes me think back to something I found to be very important. I’m sure you remember what David Picker said in the Everything or Nothing documentary from 2012, he mentioned that there was one thing that was so personal about Bond which was the reason if not one of the reasons the Series has lasted for so long. It was created by two producers and the family of one of them was still running it.
But because Barbara and Micheal passed it over to people who are not in their family, do you think it takes away that personal element?