The shortlist for the director of Bond 25 just got a little longer, with the reported addition of two new names.
According to Variety, filmmakers Bart Layton and S.J. Clarkson are both in the running to helm the final James Bond movie of the Daniel Craig era. To break these contenders down individually, Layton is currently garnering strong praise for his new crime drama American Animals, while Clarkson already has some franchise credentials in the form of Marvel’s Jessica Jones and The Defenders, not to mention the planned Star Trek 4.
While many were disappointed by the departure of Danny Boyle from the project, these two names seem to improve an already promising list of potential replacements. Granted, previous reports of Baby Driver director Edgar Wright being eyed for the project seem almost too good to be true, especially seeing how Wright’s previous involvement with a franchise blockbuster –Ant-Man, that is – ended with his departure due to creative differences.
But if the project doesn’t go to Wright, then there’s always French director Yann Demange, who earned acclaim for the 2015 thriller ’71. On top of that, Hell or High Water helmsman David Mackenzie could be a fitting choice, not to mention Jean-Marc Vallee of Big Little Lies fame, even if the latter is said to have backed out due to a scheduling conflict.
All that being said, Bond’s often been a franchise that’s defined less by its director than by its lead actor, with each new star signalling a reboot of sorts, sometimes marking a drastic change in tone for the series. So whoever ends up landing this directing gig, you probably shouldn’t expect a radical departure from the previous, gritty Craig flicks, at least until the next Bond actor enters the fray.
In any case, while the departure of Boyle has certainly caused trouble for the studio, there’s always a slight chance that the tentatively titled Bond 25 will make its planned November 8th, 2019, release date.