James Bond 2026 director has a message from GoldenEye legend as classic film turns 30
"Don't f**k with it".
GoldenEye’s Martin Campbell has offered advice for new James Bond director Denis Villeneuve as the classic film turns 30, saying "don't break what isn't broken".
The upcoming Bond movie will be the first under Amazon’s MGM Studios, which took creative reins of the film franchise after long-serving producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli ceded control earlier this year.
The studio is forging ahead with a 26th film that will be helmed by big-name director Villeneuve (Dune and Arrival) and produced by Amy Pascal and David Heyman.
Offering advice to Villeneuve and his collaborators, Campbell – who helmed Bond debuts for Pierce Brosnan in 1995’s GoldenEye and Daniel Craig in 2006’s Casino Royale – said: "Don't break what isn't broken."
Continuing in an interview with Gold Derby, he said: "It doesn't need to be a reboot – it just needs to be a bloody good Bond film! If we released GoldenEye or Casino Royale again next week, they'd feel just as potent.
"So don't f**k with it, basically. There's a lot of fertile ground for Bond, particularly the way the world is at the moment. I just hope that they don't break what's not broken!"
Broccoli might no longer have creative control of the 007 franchise, but she recently said she’s happy with Amazon’s choice of Villeneuve as director.
"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.
When he was announced as director back in June, Villeneuve described himself as "a die-hard Bond fan" and said it was a “huge honour” to come on board.
"Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr No with Sean Connery," he said.
Reassuring fans, he continued: "To me, he's sacred territory. I intend to honour the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come."
There has been no confirmation of when the next Bond movie will be released.
In addition, the search is still on for who will replace Daniel Craig as the iconic spy, while there has also been much speculation regarding who could end up playing a new Bond girl.
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
