Martin Campbell, who directed two important James Bond reboots, “GoldenEye” and “Casino Royale,” is giving Denis Villeneuve some crucial advice regarding the upcoming Amazon/MGM reboot.
During an interview with Gold Derby, Campbell didn’t hold back, telling Villeneuve not to “f*** with it.” In other words, don’t try to remake or reimagine 007 when there’s nothing to fix. Campbell added that, after Craig’s exit as Bond, the franchise should not be rebooted.
Don't break what isn't broken. It doesn't need to be a reboot — it just needs to be a bloody good Bond film! So don't f--k with it, basically.
He noted that the world of James Bond has plenty of “fertile ground” to continue exploring captivating stories, especially right now with “the way the world is at the moment,” and expressed hope that Villeneuve doesn’t ruin what continues to make the franchise great after all these years.
The filmmaker also noted that the Bond movies he directed, GoldenEye and Casino Royale, would still be “just as potent” if released today as they were in 1995 and 2006, respectively.
A previous report from Deadline hinted that Villeneuve and screenwriter Steven Knight would be drawing heavily from Ian Fleming’s earliest novels, which could mean a return to Bond’s Royal Navy background and his rise through MI6 before attaining his “00” status.
Campbell might be disappointed, as this suggests we could very well be getting an “origin” story, potentially set in the ’50s or ’60s. Of course, despite Deadline’s reporting, nothing has been confirmed, and we won’t know much else until Villeneuve completes post-production on Dune: Part Three later next year.
Production is expected to kick off in 2027, with a release set for 2028, likely in the traditional November slot that has long been favored for Bond premieres.
As for Campbell, “Casino Royale” also happens to be the last strong film he’s directed; ever since that 007 reboot, he’s had one critical dud after another, including “Cleaner,” “Memory,” “Green Lantern,” “The Protege,” and “Dirty Angels.” Up next for him is next year’s ridiculous looking “Just Play Dead,” starring Samuel L. Jackson and Eva Green.
Criterion's December lineup has some great additions to the library, but the title that jumped out at me is Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man," which officially joins the Collection on December 8.