Sam Mendes, the Oscar-winning British director behind the James Bond movies Skyfall and Spectre, has confirmed he will not come back to direct the next entry in the long-running series.
Mendes told Times of India that he received a “generous offer” from the producers of the 007 series to come back for another one. He said making Skyfall specifically was “one of the best experiences of my professional life.”
However, Mendes said he’s focusing on theatre projects right now, including the productions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and King Lear, which he said require his “complete focus.”
In 2022, Mendes said he would like to see the next James Bond movie be directed by a woman. “I think it would be wonderful to see a woman directing Bond. I think it would be wonderful,” he told Deadline.
Mendes won Best Director in 2000 for American Beauty. His 2019 war movie 1917 earned three Oscar nominations, including Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture. His latest movie was 2022’s Empire of Light starring Olivia Colman.
The latest James Bond movie was 2021’s No Time to Die, which featured Daniel Craig as 007 in his fifth and final performance as the superspy. Cary Joji Fukunaga directed the movie after Danny Boyle dropped out.
There is no word yet as to who will play James Bond in the next movie. The producers are reportedly taking their time to find the right person, in part because Bond 26 will be a “reinvention” of the character.
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