Christopher Nolan’s declaration that he will not be directing Bond 26 is a good thing both for the filmmaker and for the James Bond franchise. Nolan’s knack for tension-based action and drama, interest in espionage plots, and collaborations with No Time to Die composer Hans Zimmer are just a few of the things that make him a strong candidate to direct a James Bond movie. Nolan even shared his conditions for directing Bond 26 while discussing the franchise’s influence on his work, which suggested he was positioned to helm the next installment.
Nolan debunked the rumors of him directing Bond 26 by stating there was “no truth” to the idea that the project would be his next film. Although the details surrounding the next 007 movie are scarce, it is known that Bond 26 will be a soft reboot of the franchise, with James Bond being recast, and that it won’t be hitting theaters anytime soon. Despite the filmmaker’s obvious fit for the opportunity, Bond 26 moving forward without Nolan’s involvement is good for two reasons, one of them for Nolan and the other for the producers of the franchise.
Bond 26: Who Could Play Bond & Everything We Know
The Daniel Craig 007 era is ending with the release of No Time to Die, but what comes next? Here’s everything that’s been revealed about Bond 26.
Christopher Nolan Not Directing Bond 26 Frees Him Up To Make An Original Movie
Nolan is better off developing a new project of his own.
Known primarily for how out of order Christopher Nolan’s movies are, one can only imagine what the visionary filmmaker’s take on a James Bond movie would look like. However, given his track record of producing some of cinema’s most engaging original stories, Nolan has proven to be a big box-office draw without necessarily needing to adapt someone else’s work. With Insomnia, The Dark Knight Trilogy, and Oppenheimer being exceptions, most of Nolan’s films have been completely original ideas that have garnered critical acclaim and massive box office success. Of course, with five of his 12 features being adaptations, there’s no reason his next project won’t also be based on something else.
While speaking with Yahoo! Entertainment, Nolan suggested that he was ready to move on to something less bleak than his last film, Oppenheimer, which focused on the development of the first atomic bomb. Considering many of his films center around despairing subjects, it would be interesting to see Nolan’s next project set in a genre with a much more hopeful and inspiring tone. Earlier this year, while promoting Oppenheimer, Nolan named Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby as his favorite comedy. While this doesn’t suggest his next film could be a comedy, that’d be a curious direction to go in, as the genre is something he’s never ostensibly explored.
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Christopher Nolan is an exceptionally talented writer and director who has worked across a variety of genres, but what should he tackle next?
Bond 26 Has Several Great Director Options Other Than Christopher Nolan
Matthew Vaughn & Denis Villeneuve have already proven themselves in similar genres.
Although Christopher Nolan’s rejection of Bond 26 is disconcerting for fans anticipating his take on the James Bond franchise, there are other quality filmmakers, such as Matthew Vaughn and Denis Villeneuve, who would be perfect for the job. With Vaughn’s Kingsman franchise a massive success, he has proven he’s not only acquainted with the spy genre but isn’t afraid to reinvent it. Villeneuve has shown himself to be someone who can craft compelling stories around big-budget blockbusters with Blade Runner 2049 and his Dune movies, making him a suitable candidate. Another option is for Bond 26 to follow franchise tradition and rehire Martin Campbell for his third James Bond reboot.
