Former James Bond boss Barbara Broccoli reveals verdict on director Denis Villeneuve ahead of Bond 26
The long-time producer stepped back from the iconic spy franchise back in February.
So far, 2025 has seen two massive announcements when it comes to James Bond.
In February, it was revealed that long-time producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson would be stepping back from the franchise, while more recently June brought us the news that big-name director Denis Villeneuve would be helming the next 007 instalment.
Well, now Broccoli has had her say on that choice of filmmaker – and it seems that she's more than happy with the choice made by her successors David Heyman and Amy Pascal.
"He’s a fantastic filmmaker, I’m thrilled he’s going to be doing it," she said while speaking to Mark Kermode on his Kermode on Film Podcast.
Broccoli didn't say too much further on Villeneuve, but she did slightly expand on her decision to cede creative control after more than four decades working on the franchise – explaining that while she "loved every minute of it", she had a "lot of things I want to do".
She added: "I’m doing a lot of other things. I have other movies I want to make and other stage shows."
When he was announced as director last month, Villeneuve described himself as "a die-hard Bond fan" and said that the character was "sacred territory" to him, adding: "I intend to honour the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come."
As well as bringing about a great deal of excitement among Bond fans, the announcement also kicked off a renewed flurry of rumours as to who might play the next James Bond.
Harris Dickinson, Tom Holland and Jacob Elordi are reportedly on the producers' wish list to replace Daniel Craig, while there has also been much speculation regarding who might be lined up to play a new Bond girl.
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Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
