The 25th installment of the James Bond series is looking for a new director after it was revealed Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Sunshine) left the project over creative differences.
Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli and Daniel Craig today announced that due to creative differences Danny Boyle has decided to no longer direct Bond 25. pic.twitter.com/0Thl116eAd
— James Bond (@007) August 21, 2018
It sucks because Boyle’s visual style would have lent itself perfectly to a new type of Bond film. Let’s be honest, the latest installment ‘Spectre’ (Sam Mendes) proved how desperately the franchise needed to change things up. It was a fine spy film, yet still an uninspired rehash with little surprises.
Boyle appeared to be a perfect fit to helm Bond 25. With his departure, who should lead the project now? Here’s three outside the box choices.
Martin Campbell – ‘Casino Royale,’ ‘Edge of Darkness,’ ‘The Foreigner’
In my opinion, Campbell directed the best Bond film there is in Daniel Craig’s debut ‘Casino Royale.’ It was daring, filled with high-stakes, and ultimately reinvented Bond into someone more exposed and serious. After the ridiculousness of Pierce Brosnan’s last Bond flick ‘Die Another Day,’ ‘Casino Royale’ proved the perfect pallet cleanser for a new type of Bond. Campbell made Craig’s Bond infinitely cool while elevating his persona beyond just that.
Campbell should be given the chance to finish what he started. Since Bond, he’s had both hits (‘The Foreigner’) and flops (Green Lantern) and still has enough mojo to carry the franchise into its conclusion until its rebooted again.
It might seem hypocritical to say the film needs to change things up and then suggest Campbell. However, ‘Casino Royale’ was that fresh and him sitting behind the director’s chair would be a perfect end-cap to Craig’s journey. Just make the story fresh. Would Bond producers welcome him back? It’s hard to say after he dismissed ‘Quantum of Solace‘ as lousy.
Lynne Ramsay – ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin,’ You Were Really Never Here’
Fresh off universal critical acclaim for the Joaquin Phoenix-starring thriller, Ramsay is one of the biggest up-and-coming directors working in the industry right now. Her films blend a fiercly unique visual style while simultaneously tackling really heavy issues.
Lynne Ramsay: Red from Jacob T. Swinney on Vimeo.
The fact she’s British also helps her case (there’s never been a non-British Bond director). Also, it would just be nice to see a woman direct a Bond film.
I’d love to see her get the gig, but I feel like it might be best for her to usher in a new era of Bond as opposed to ending the current one. Regardless, she’ll be directing a huge film soon.
Ben Wheatley – ‘Free Fire,’ ‘High-Rise’
Wheatley, much like Ramsay, is a director with a unique visual style and would offer something new to the Bond series.
2016’s ‘Free-Fire’ was a simple, hilarious and action-packed R-rated comedy almost entirely contained in one setting. Wheatley’s also done more violent, surreal work like his 2015 drama ‘High-Rise.’ It’d be insane what kind of visual goodness Wheatley would attempt in a Bond film.
Much like Ramsay, it might be better if Wheatley starts with a new Bond franchise where he’s got more creative input.
Who knows who the Bond people will hire. I’d love it if they made an outside the box choice like anyone listed above.
