The prospect of Christopher Nolan directing a James Bond film is one that makes both film fans and studio executives salivate. It isn’t something that’s happening just yet — but in a new interview, Nolan admitted he’s been tempted to do it and has actually had discussions about it.
Christopher Nolan and Kenneth Branagh on the set of Dunkirk. Image: Warner Bros.
“[I’m tempted to do] a Bond movie, definitely,” Nolan said to Playboy. “I’ve spoken to the producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson over the years. I deeply love the character, and I’m always excited to see what they do with it.”
At this moment, no one knows what’s happening with the Bond series. New rumours suggest that Daniel Craig will definitely return to play the character, but the rights to the franchise are still in question — which means the definitive future of the franchise itself is up in the air. And that’s an interesting place to be, because if you read Nolan’s next statement, the possibility of reinvention is just the thing that would make him take the plunge.
“Maybe one day that would work out,” the director continued. “You’d have to be needed, if you know what I mean. It has to need reinvention; it has to need you. And they’re getting along very well.”
The last few Bond films have certainly been a success, and Craig is a popular Bond — but he’s on his way out. Even if he does one or even two more turns as the character, he won’t be Bond for much longer. That means it seems very possible that, in the future, Nolan would tackle James Bond. For now though, his next project, Dunkirk, opens July 20, and he has not decided what he wants to do after that.