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The fate of the “James Bond” franchise is a little up in the air right now, but one thing we know for certain is that it has a future — and a big one at that. Amazon recently gained full control of the legendary spy series from longtime producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. That means the next era of 007 is going to happen sooner rather than later. Right now, the two biggest questions when it comes to the next movie are who will take over for Daniel Crag as Bond, and who will be in the director’s chair. Well, in a different timeline, the next Bond filmmaker could have been none other than Christopher Nolan. Yes, really.
The director of “The Dark Knight” and “Oppenheimer” has long been on the wishlist of many fans to helm a “Bond” movie. Well, it turns out he tried to make it happen somewhat recently. In a recent report by Variety breaking down the situation with Bond, the outlet revealed that Nolan wanted to make a film in the franchise after the release of “Tenet,” which would have been about the same time as the release of “No Time to Die” in 2021, the film that concluded Craig’s era. Here’s precisely what the outlet had to say about it:
Sources say Christopher Nolan expressed interest in directing a Bond movie following the release of ‘Tenet.’ But Broccoli made clear that no director would have final cut while Bond was under her purview.
Nolan is the rare blockbuster filmmaker that can have things his way. That’s because he can turn a biopic like “Oppenheimer” into a Best Picture winner that made nearly $1 billion at the box office. But Broccoli and Wilson were famously protective of the “Bond” films, which is part of what helped make them so successful. But their method also meant only relinquishing so much creative control to a given director.
James Bond might finally need Christopher Nolan
It’s no secret that Nolan has desired to make a “James Bond” movie for a long time. When asked about it in 2017, Nolan explained that he had met with Broccoli and Wilson previously about 007. “You’d have to be needed, if you know what I mean. It has to need reinvention; it has to need you,” the Oscar winner said at the time. While the franchise was getting along quite well at that time, things have changed. “Bond” might finally need Nolan.
Amazon almost certainly intends to launch a full universe of projects around “James Bond,” but the next movie is clearly going to be the centerpiece of the whole endeavor. Following up the Craig era is no small feat, and Amazon needs to quell concerns that they are going to just shamelessly exploit the beloved IP. Hiring a guy like Nolan to tackle the next installment would go a long way to buy some good will. It would certainly require both sides to make concessions, but Amazon has the resources to make it happen.
For the moment, Nolan is busy directing his adaptation of “The Odyssey” for Universal, which is due to hit theaters in 2026. But it will take a little while to put together the next “Bond” movie. In terms of timing, it wouldn’t be hard to see this working out, assuming Amazon is shooting for a 2027 or 2028 release date. Assuming Nolan is still interested a few years later, a very intriguing possibility could be on the horizon. Your move, Jeff Bezos.
You can grab “The James Bond Collection” on Blu-ray from Amazon.