‘Bond 25’ Director Shortlist Reportedly Includes Edgar Wright, Jean-Marc Vallee
Danny Boyle’s departure from Bond 25 presented quite the setback for the producers of the long-running franchise. Following yesterday’s report on the reason for Boyle’s exit, came the unsurprising news that the 25th installment in the spy series will likely miss its intended 2019 release — meaning Bond 25 probably won’t hit theaters until five years after Spectre. But the producing team is moving quickly to secure Boyle’s replacement, and a new report reveals the four names at the top of their shortlist.
Per Deadline, Bond series producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have their eye on four directors to potentially replace Danny Boyle, who exited the forthcoming sequel due to creative differences. Those differences are rumored to have centered on a clash with star Daniel Craig over the casting of the film’s villain; Boyle’s script, described as having “modern-day Cold War” plot, called for a Russian antagonist, and Craig is said to have bene displeased with the director’s top pick.
According to the latest report, Broccoli and Wilson’s director shortlist for Bond 25 includes Edgar Wright, Jean-Marc Vallée, Yann Demange and David Mackenzie — any of whom would be interesting picks (though they are, unsurprisingly, all men).
It wouldn’t be the first time that Wright, who most recently directed Baby Driver, was in the mix for a franchise gig; he famously parted ways with Marvel due to creative differences on the first Ant-Man. Bolstered by his enthusiastic love and knowledge of cinema, Wright has proven to be a highly-skilled director with a keen understanding of how to create fantastic action sequences. He also previously told the L.A. Times that he’s interested in directing a Bond movie.
Vallée, meanwhile, has spent the last few years working in television, directing the first season of Big Little Lies and the limited series adaptation of Sharp Objects — the finale of which airs this Sunday on HBO. Of all the picks, Vallée seems the most unlikely (and thus the most intriguing) given his strong aesthetic and directing style, which relies heavily on music and feeling. Sharp Objects writer and producer Marti Noxon recently told Vulture that she clashed with Vallée over some of his directing choices, which typically eschew text for visuals. Given the firm grip that Wilson and Broccoli have on the Bond series, Vallée’s approach might not be the best fit.
David Mackenzie is a pick I’ve seen suggested on social media by a handful of Bond diehards. He’s best known for directing the acclaimed 2016 crime flick Hell or High Water, scripted by Sicario’s Taylor Sheridan. Mackenzie’s next film is the period drama Outlaw King, which reunites him with Hell or High Water star Chris Pine and hits Netflix in November.
And lastly, there’s Yann Demange, the French filmmaker got his start in television directing episodes of Secret Diary of a Call Girl and Dead Set before making his feature debut with the acclaimed dramatic thriller ’71. His most recent film is the upcoming White Boy Rick, starring Matthew McConaughey and produced by Darren Aronofsky.
So there’s your Bond 25 shortlist. Given that Boyle’s exit has already caused a bit of a delay in production, it probably won’t be long before Wilson and Broccoli make a decision regarding his replacement.