Back in April, Damien Chazelle set up his supposedly next film with Paramount, this one rumored to take place in a prison. It was described as a “mid-budget” drama with action elements (via Deadline). He was supposed to shoot it this fall, but did he suddenly get cold feet?
Based on an interview he recently did with Vanity Fair, it sounds like Chazelle now has two potential projects that he’s working on simultaneously and hasn't decided which one he is committing to yet.
My mind is all still figuring itself out in terms of what’s next. I’ve definitely been working on this thing that I might be jumping into—but there’s another thing I might be jumping into. There’s two things that I’m toying with, so I need to commit to one lane or the other fast.
What if I were to tell you that the other project Chazelle mentions might potentially be the next James Bond movie? Rumor is that Chazelle recently met with Bond producer Barbara Broccoli in regard to directing the next 007 instalment.
What’s Chazelle’s Bond connection? There are a few. His go-to cinematographer, Linus Sandgren, was DP on 2021’s “No Time To Die.” A Chazelle/Lindgren Bond movie would, at the very least, be visually impressive.
Chazelle is also a fan of the franchise. Back in 2018, he told Time Out that he was a “giant James Bond fan,” and that although he has no interest in entering any Hollywood franchise, Bond would be the notable exception:
It’s maybe the only franchise that would be tempting. I grew up with it – Bond movies were one of the few things I could reliably get my dad to watch with me. It was a bonding experience, pardon the pun.
Now, just because Chazelle met with Broccoli does not mean he’s getting the gig. His isn’t the only name that’s circulated to helm Bond, it’s an ever-growing list, and at some point, even Denis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan had met with Broccoli. The ones that are currently rumored to be on the shortlist include Edward Berger (who has denied reports), Martin Campbell, David Michod, and Kelly Marcel.
Chazelle’s last film, “Babylon,” didn’t do well commercially, or critically, and Chazelle recently mentioned how he wasn’t sure if Hollywood would welcome him back into fold with open arms after that film’s failure. Hopping onboard the next Bond might just be what the doctor ordered for Chazelle.