Before Villeneuve Signed On: Who Was on the Bond 26 Director Shortlist
Denis Villeneuve got the job in June 2025. But before that, the race for the Bond 26 director's chair was a messy, drawn-out saga involving at least seven major names — and the one who probably should have got it turned it down.
Here's who was in the running, who said no, and why the search took as long as it did.
Christopher Nolan — the one that got away
This was the name that dominated the conversation for years. After Tenet wrapped in 2020, Nolan expressed interest in directing a Bond film — ideally the first post-Craig instalment. By all accounts, producer Barbara Broccoli took the meeting. Then she shut it down.
The problem was final cut. Nolan is one of the few directors in Hollywood who insists on having complete creative control over the finished product. Broccoli made it clear that no director would get final cut on a Bond film while she was in charge — no one ever had, and she wasn't about to start. Nolan walked. He went on to make Oppenheimer instead, which grossed nearly a billion dollars worldwide and won Best Picture.
Even after Amazon took creative control of the franchise in February 2025, Nolan's name kept circling. Multiple industry insiders told The Wrap he was still the "top choice" to reinvigorate the series. But he was already deep into production on The Odyssey for Universal — there simply wasn't a schedule that worked. Amazon reportedly didn't want to wait.
At the Golden Globes in January 2024, when Nolan's brother Jonathan was asked about Bond rumours, he called them "bollocks." That didn't stop people from speculating about both Nolans for the next year and a half.
Alfonso Cuarón — the first choice who said no
When Amy Pascal and David Heyman were brought on as producers, Heyman had a clear preference: Alfonso Cuarón, the Oscar-winning director of Gravity, Roma, and Children of Men. Heyman had worked with Cuarón on Gravity and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban — they had a strong creative relationship.
The courtship went on for months. In April 2025, at a Paris Cinema Club masterclass, Cuarón seemed to all but confirm he was in talks, saying — without naming the franchise directly — "There is indeed this project under discussion, and I have the desire, if it happens, to revisit this story in my own way." Industry journalist Matthew Belloni of Puck described Cuarón as his "informed, speculative pick" and the most likely candidate.
But it didn't happen. Cuarón ultimately passed, choosing to focus on his next project — Jane, starring Charlize Theron.
It wasn't the first time, either: at the Marrakech Film Festival in 2024, he'd mentioned turning down an unnamed Bond film years earlier for similar reasons — he wanted a level of creative ownership that the franchise wouldn't allow.
The five-name shortlist
Once Cuarón stepped away, Puck News reported the shortlist had narrowed to five directors. Journalist Jeff Sneider confirmed the names:
- Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front, Conclave) — had already taken a pitch meeting with the producers. Sneider's sources considered him a strong contender, partly because he's not a writer — a benefit in the eyes of the studio, since they wanted a director who'd collaborate closely with the screenplay rather than rewrite it.
- Denis Villeneuve (Dune, Sicario, Blade Runner 2049) — a longtime Bond fan who'd been on the shortlist for No Time to Die back in 2018 but chose Dune instead. He'd said publicly in 2021: "James Bond is sacred territory for me."
- Edgar Wright (Baby Driver, Shaun of the Dead, Last Night in Soho) — British, stylish, commercially proven. An unexpected choice for Bond, but his ability to blend action with personality made him a credible option.
- Paul King (Paddington, Paddington 2, Wonka) — the most surprising name on the list. King had no obvious connection to the spy genre, but his work with producer David Heyman on the Paddington films made him an insider pick. Sneider felt King had an edge in the race.
- Jonathan Nolan (Westworld, Fallout, The Dark Knight co-writer) — Christopher's younger brother. His work on the Fallout TV series for Amazon Prime Video had impressed the studio. Sneider also felt Nolan had an edge. But Jonathan had previously called Bond rumours "bollocks" at the Golden Globes, which didn't exactly scream enthusiasm.