New James Bond Director Revealed

by Mason Segall

A month after Danny Boyle dropped out of directing the next Bond film, reportedly throwing the production into chaos, MGM has named his replacement: Cary Joji Fukunaga, a versatile filmmaker best known as the director of 2009 movie Sin Nombre, 2015 film Beasts of No Nation, and the popular television show True Detective, will be taking over as the director of the 25th installment of ​the Bond franchise.

Boyle, director of Trainspotting (1996) and Slumdog Millionaire (2008), had been brought on to direct the next ​James Bond movie after Sam Mendes—who had previously directed the 2012 and 2015 Bond films Skyfall and Spectre—elected not to return. In August, Boyle left the project, citing creative differences.

Now, Fukunaga will be directing Daniel Craig as he reluctantly returns to the titular role of the iconic British spy. (Craig had previously criticized the role after the filming of Spectre, saying that Bond was "actually a misogynist.") Other returning stars include Ben Whishaw as Q, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, and Rory Kinnear as Tanner.

Filming for the project, currently under the working title Bond 25, will begin in March of 2019, with an expected release date of Valentine's Day 2020. Craig has announced it will be his last time playing the character.