Sam Mendes Might Be Done With James Bond for Good

A new James Bond is on the way, but it looks like it won’t be with director Sam Mendes at the helm. The man behind award-winning films like 1917 or American Beauty was tasked with bringing Daniel Craig’s 007 to the big screen twice in Skyfall and Spectre, continuing the saga after Martin Campbell and then leaving his place for Cary Fukunaga, who directed the last adventure of the Knives Out star as the famous agent.

Now that MGM, together with its new ally Amazon Studios, prepare to present a new version of the character created by Ian Fleming, they will also have to find a new director to take over the project. But it seems that it will not be Mendes.

In a recent interview with Empire (via The Times of India) the director confirmed that he received a “generous offer” from the producers behind the franchise to direct the next film, but he declined. According to Mendes, he has commitments to the theater, carrying out productions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and King Lear, so he had to turn down the offer even though directing Skyfall was one of the “best experiences” of his life.

At the moment there is no actor confirmed to take the role, and considering what is happening in Hollywood with the writers’ and actors’ strikes, it may still be a long time until details of the next adventures of 007 are known. In fact, it may be that Mendes ends his commitments and can direct the film.

Related: The Favorite Films of English Director Sam Mendes

James Bond Should Get Its Own Series

The 007 is one of the few action heroes that hasn’t made the jump to the small screen yet. Others like Jack Ryan have already had the opportunity to shine in streaming, thanks to Amazon Prime Video precisely, so it would not be difficult to imagine that this could be the future of the franchise.

And while more conservative fans may prefer to continue seeing James Bond only on the big screen, given the moment that television projects are going through, bringing a legendary character like Bond to streaming would be a wise move by MGM and Amazon Studios.

Unfortunately, the producers have expressed in the past that they have no interest in turning the 007 story into a series. But they might change their minds in the future. Even if it is not James Bond himself who stars in it, they could do a spinoff of another character or the agency itself, something similar to what Lionsgate is doing with John Wick.

James Bond is one of the characters with the greatest legacy in cinema, and has managed to maintain himself despite the passing of the years and the changes of actors, achieving success each time he has reached the big screen thanks to a loyal fan base and a very well established brand. So no matter who plays him, who directs him, or if he makes it to cinema or television, James Bond is almost an absolute guarantee of success.