Dune director Denis Villeneuve has expressed his desire to make a James Bond movie, though he recognizes the challenge of taking over the reins following the Daniel Craig era.
As reported by IndieWire, Villeneuve recently told MTV's Happy Sad Confused podcast that there would be very little hesitation in his decision if he was approached to reboot the Bond franchise and helm the next 007 installment in the wake of Cary Joji Fukunaga's No Time To Die. In fact, he indicated that it is one project that features on his wishlist as a filmmaker.
"I would deeply love one day to make a James Bond movie," Villeneuve said. "It's a character that I've been with since my childhood. I have massive affection for Bond. It would be a big challenge to try and reboot it after what Daniel did. What Daniel Craig brought to Bond was so unique and strong and honestly unmatchable. He's the ultimate James Bond."
As a self-proclaimed Bond fan, Villeneuve said it would be a "privilege" to be able to add a Bond movie to his filmography at some point in the future. He referred to the opportunity as one that would bring "pure cinematic joy," though his schedule could get quite busy if Dune proves to be a success and Warner Bros. happens to give Part 2 of the saga the greenlight.
Villeneuve previously outlined his filming plans for Dune as he revealed that he would be looking to shoot the sequel in 2022 in order to bring Part 2 to the screen "as soon as possible," so long as the project is given the approval it needs to move out of the starting blocks. He stressed that he wouldn't compromise on quality to get Part 2 made quickly either.
"Everybody at Warner Bros and Legendary, they are 100 percent behind the project," he confidently stated. "They feel that it would need a really bad outcome at the box office to not have a Dune Part 2 because they love the movie. They are proud of the movie, so they want the movie to move forward. And they still did half of it. So, you know, I'm very optimistic."
The movie adaptation of Frank Herbert's seminal sci-fi novel releases in theaters and on HBO Max on October 22. If you're looking for a movie to watch in the meantime, No Time To Die is currently playing in US and UK theaters, with the 25th Bond film slated for release in Austrailia on November 11. We also have a rundown of everything you need to know before watching.
Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.