TheBond 25director search has taken yet another unexpected turn. While the folks at EON and MGM took their time in settling on a filmmaker to take the helm, considering directors likeDenis VilleneuveandDavid Mackenzie, the surprise announcement came earlier this year thatDanny Boylewould be directingBond 25based on an original story he hatched withTrainspotting 2writerJohn Hodge. But a few months before filming was about to begin, Boyledeparted the project over creative differences—reportedly to do with his and Hodge’s script and the casting of the villain.
In the wake of Boyle’s exit, names likeEdgar WrightandJean-Marc Valleesurfaced as contendersto take over, then a couple weeks ago it was reported thatYann Demange(White Boy Rick) andS.J. Clarkson(Jessica Jones) wereamong the frontrunnersto take over. As it turns out, theBond 25producers had someone entirely different—and wildly exciting—in mind:Cary Joji Fukunaga.
Indeed, it wasofficially announcedtoday that the director ofTrue DetectiveSeason 1, films likeJane EyreandBeasts of No Nation, as well as the upcoming Netflix limited seriesManiac, will be taking the helm ofBond 25. This marks the first time in the franchise’s history that an American will be at the helm of aBondmovie.
ProducersBarbara BroccoliandMichael G. Wilsonhad this to say about Fukunaga coming onboard:
“We are delighted to be working with Cary. His versatility and innovation make him an excellent choice for our next James Bond adventure,"
Filming will now begin at Pinewood Studios in London on August 07, 2025, and the producers announced a newBond 25release date: June 22, 2025. Yes indeed, Cary Fukunaga’s Bond movie will hit theaters on Valentine’s Day.
Fukuanga is an exciting choice to take the helm, but given his history it’s probably prudent to not get our hopes up just yet. Fukunaga co-wrote and was set to directITfor Warner Bros. beforedeparting that project over creative differences. He was also set to direct the TNT limited seriesThe Alienist, but stepped back over scheduling issues. Fukunaga isn’t the kind of filmmaker who’s happy to say “yes” to everything—he’s got very strong ideas and a very clear vision. That makes him an intriguing choice to take overBond, but with a franchise as huge as this, there’s always that chance that things don’t work out as they get closer to filming—especially in the wake of Boyle’s exit.
But as of right now, Cary Fukunaga is officially directingBond 25withDaniel Craigreturning for his possible last go-around as the title character. Boyle and Hodge’s script has reportedly been tossed, but there are conflicting reports over whether the producers are starting from scratch or if they’re returning to a previous outline penned by longtimeBondwritersNeal PurvisandRobert Wade. We’ll no doubt learn more soon, but in the interim you can check out Fukunaga’s latest projectManiacon Netflix starting September 21st (and read our piece on how its creation was influenced by Netflix’s datahere). How about that timing?
