Despite making $1 billion at the worldwide box office, earning universal acclaim and racking up a number of awards, Sam Mendes couldn’t even stomach returning to the Bond franchise once he was done with Skyfall.
Speaking to Yahoo UK, the director said that the thought of having to go back after Skyfall and start working on another Bond film made him physically ill.
“Was I willing to go back into a room with a writer and start work on the same set of characters and the same scenarios as I’ve been working on for the last three years?” Mendes asked himself. “The idea made me physically ill.”
Bond producer Barbara Broccoli thinks that she can convince Mendes otherwise, but she admits that it may be a while before we see him return. One thing for certain is that the director won’t be returning for James Bond’s next outing. The studio is going to have to find someone to replace him and whoever that individual is, they have a lot to live up to.
Skyfall is undoubtedly one of the best Bond films of all time, and Sam Mendes did some truly incredible things with it. Though myself, and probably everyone who enjoyed Skyfall is sad to hear that he won’t return, I can’t say that I don’t understand the choice. Making a James Bond film must be a massive undertaking and if Mendes wants a break, then let him have a break. He deserves it.
As for who will take over? Well, that’s anyone’s guess. We’ve put together a list of some names that we’d like to see step in for Mendes but for now, all we can do is speculate.
What do you think though? Are you ok with Sam Mendes taking a break from Bond? Did you enjoy Skyfall? Let us know in the comments below.