James Bondmay be heading into bold new territory—with an Oscar-winning director at the helm. During a recent masterclass in Paris,Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabandirectorAlfonso Cuarónconfirmed he’s in talks to direct the next iteration of the long running Bond franchise, with the 26th film the most important in the series' history — the first sinceAmazon MGM Studios acquired the creative control to the character. Cuarón told the audience at the Paris Cinema Club:
“There is indeed THIS project under discussion, and I have the desire — if it happens — to revisit this story in my own way.”
The acclaimed filmmaker’s comments, first shared by X user @Simon___Robert, come as Amazon is seeking to reshape the future of its newly acquired spy franchise. While casting and plot details remain under wraps — obviously, it’s all very new and doesn’t have a script — industry insiders have hinted at a “fresh, exotic” reboot of the Bond brand—and bringing Cuarón aboard would certainly signal that intention.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Cuarón has been approached to direct a Bond film. Speaking at the 2024 Marrakech Film Festival, the director recalled turning down the opportunity in the past. “Ages ago I was offered a Bond film,” he said. “And I said, ‘Yeah, cool. Maybe Bond. I am going to do one.’ And then when the process started and I was going to shoot all the dialogue and stuff, there was a [separate] team doing all the action scenes.It kind of felt very weird.”
Cuarón added that a conversation with filmmakerJoel Coenhelped him decide to walk away at the time.“Joel said, ‘It probably falls into the category of a film I want to watch but not do.’ There I learned the lesson that some films I prefer to watch and not do.”But evidently, his perspective has shifted—now he seems ready to step into 007’s world on his own terms.
Where Do I Know Alfonso Cuarón From?
Cuarón is no stranger to franchise filmmaking, having designed and defined the world ofHarry Potterwith his atmospheric, stylish and critically beloved third installment in 2004. Since then, he’s directed modern classics likeChildren of MenandRoma, the latter earning him his secondAcademy Award for Best Director. Bond would also reunite the director with longtime collaboratorDavid Heyman, the producer ofPrisoner of Azkaban,who has been put in charge of producing the films alongsideAmy Pascal.
