Of all of the Bond movies made in the “modern” 007 era (i.e. from GoldenEye onwards), there have only been two introductions to a new James Bond, and Martin Campbell directed both of them – GoldenEye and Casino Royale. Both of them are still lauded as among the strongest in the series today.
So it is well worth listening to his opinion on all things 007 when he offers it.
With acclaimed Dune and Sicario director Denis Villeneuve taking over directing duties for the next introduction of a new actor, Campbell was asked by awards and industry tracking website Gold Derby if he had any advice for the new team. Showing admirable Kiwi directness, he was very clear:
“Don’t break what isn’t broken. It doesn’t need to be a reboot – it just needs to be a bloody good Bond film! If we released GoldenEye or Casino Royale again next week, they’d feel just as potent. So don’t fuck with it, basically. There’s a lot of fertile ground for Bond, particularly the way the world is at the moment. I just hope that they don’t break what’s not broken!
Speaking of who could don the tuxedo for the new iteration of the character, he had this to say:
There are no established standouts like Pierce. Pierce was a perfect Bond for his time. But Daniel wasn’t Daniel Craig when he got the part, and all credit to Barbara Broccoli for pushing him. So what you’re looking for is another Daniel Craig, someone who isn’t necessarily a star…Frankly, you don’t need a star. James Bond is the star, and the film is the star. They just need to find a terrific actor who looks right for the part.”
When talking of Brosnan and his portrayal, Campbell said:
“The major thing with Bond is an economy of movement, and he understood that.”
There is no release date yet for the new 007 movie, but Amazon MGM Studios is said to be looking at a 2028 release, with production starting in earnest in 2027.
