Next Bond Director Odds: McQueen And Berger In Line For 007 Throne

It's all change in the world of James Bond. 

The latest Bond film, 2021's No Time To Die, saw the end of Daniel Craig's version of 007. Since then, fans of the franchise have been kept in the dark about whether there will even be a 26th film. 

However, there has been a new development after Amazon MGM Studios recently confirmed they are taking creative control of the movie series, with long-time producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson stepping back. 

This will hopefully mean details about the next Bond motion picture aren't too far away and speculation is rife about who the film's director will be. 

Cary Joji Fukunaga directed last time out, and Christopher Nolan has been heavily mentioned since, but there are a few above him in the market on betting sites. 

McQueen In Line For Bond Throne 

Steve McQueen has been linked to the role for a few months now and he remains 4/6 favourite on betting apps to direct the next Bond movie. 

In November, the 12 Years A Slave helmer was said to have caught the attention of Bond bosses. While the hierarchy has changed somewhat, the Blitz filmmaker is still odds-on for the coveted position. 

A source told The Sun newspaper at the time: "Steve is one of the UK’s best filmmakers and has an incredible vision.

"The word is that the Bond producers wanted to see if Steve would ever consider having a hand in one of the films and they got a positive response. It would be incredible if it came off."

Next Bond Director Odds

The new 007 would no doubt be in safe hands with the Oscar-winning filmmaker, who has worked with Amazon before on Small Axe, an anthology of five films that brought to life the experiences of London’s West Indian community. 

The project also featured Star Wars actor John Boyega, and he would be up for a part in the next Bond flick if McQueen - who also directed the star in 2020 movie Red, White and Blue - gets the nod as director.

He previously said: "With Steve McQueen directing, let’s do this. We could show them something different.

"We’ll still bring that sophistication - you know, James Bond has to be James Bond. But we could do something with that."

Berger On A Roll 

If McQueen doesn't get the seal of approval, then Conclave director Edward Berger could. 

Berger is on a roll this awards season after the Oscar-nominated religious thriller picked up prizes aplenty, and he is just 6/4 to helm the next Bond movie. 

In October, Berger denied he had been approached by 007 producers to direct the 26th Bond film, but he admitted he would be up for it if the opportunity arose. 

He told Den of Geek: "Who isn't, you know?

"Bond, I grew up with it. He’s an idol. Those movies, I watched them diligently from back to front, of course I would be. 

"But whether I would ever be in the discussion list, I have no idea. There really is no discussion, there is no future for me in it at the moment."

At the time, he also said Broccoli and Wilson were the "keepers of that holy grail", but times have, of course, now changed, with Amazon taking creative control of the franchise.

This could be a positive for Berger, because he is reportedly being lined up to direct a forthcoming film for Amazon MGM Studios, based on the story of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was imprisoned in Russia. 

Another short-priced contender to direct the next Bond movie is Barbie helmer Greta Gerwig. 

The 2/1 chance was previously linked to the position, but the rumours faded when it was confirmed she was writing and directing Netflix's The Chronicles of Narnia. 

However, she isn't far away from the favourites in the market and has previously backed Barbie star Kingsley Ben-Adir to be the next 007.

In 2023, she said on Variety's Awards Circuit podcast: "He can do anything, and is a very proper, trained British actor.

"He can do the [Laurence] Olivier voice, so we had versions where he turned around and it was British. 

"But that was one of those [moments], when he turned around and did that voice - everybody on set, everybody’s jaw dropped. He became this different person.

"I think the direction I gave to him, I said something like, ‘Ascend the throne’ and he was like, ‘Got it’. And he turned around and he ascended the throne. I was like, ‘Get this to whoever is making Bond, [they] need this immediately."

Nolan's Bond Interest 

Nolan has long been linked to helm the next Bond film, and he was even 4/6 favourite for the job in March 2024. 

During an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the Oppenheimer director admitted he "loves" Bond films, and said it would be an "amazing privilege" to be behind the camera for one. 

He explained: "The influence of those movies in my filmography is embarrassingly apparent. There’s no attempt to shy away from that. It would be an amazing privilege to do one."

However, he has since drifted to 4/1 joint-fourth favourite in the market. 

A new report by Variety has suggested Nolan was interested in helming the next Bond movie after he made 2020's Tenet, but sources told the publication that Broccoli "made clear that no director would have the final cut while Bond was under her purview".

Others in contention include The Woman King director Gina Prince-Bythewood (4/1) and Martin Campbell, who is on a Bond hat-trick. 

The 7/1 shot helmed Craig's 007 debut in 2006's Casino Royale and his predecessor Pierce Brosnan's first Bond movie GoldenEye in 1995. 

Recently, Campbell admitted he "wouldn't say no" if he was asked to return to the film franchise. 

He told ScreenRant: "Yeah, I wouldn't say no. The point is that I love Bond. Bond is something I grew up with, right?

"Way back to Dr No, when I took my mother to see it. And Bond is, always for me, an event picture. 

"The point is, when I used to see Bond, it was an event. And that's what's so great about them. 

"The budgets are big, the action's terrific, and the characters are terrific."

Sam Mendes is 12/1 to direct the next Bond movie - and he is also on for a 007 hat-trick, after directing 2012's Skyfall and 2015's Spectre.

* Reminder: These are hypothetical odds provided by industry experts.