Denis Villeneuve teases new James Bond

James Bond director Denis Villeneuve has teased fans about the announcement of the next 007.

The Dune moviemaker is stepping behind the camera to take charge of the next Bond film - the first to be released under the full control of Amazon MGM Studios - and producers are believed to be on the verge of announcing which actor will be taking over from Daniel Craig. During an appearance at the LACMA Art and Film Gala in Los Angeles on Saturday (07.11.26), Villeneuve was honoured for his contribution to cinema and he joked about his latest project in his speech.

Speaking on stage at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Villeneuve closed his speech by saying: "To express my gratitude with the blessing of my new friends at Amazon, I will reveal to you tonight who will be the next James Bond.

"The new James Bond is … and I will stop right now because [James Bond producer] Amy Pascal is about to have a heart attack. Thank you very much."

Villeneuve was also asked about the new Bond film while on the red carpet at the event, and the director declined to be drawn on the subject, telling Variety: "I should not comment right now because every word I’m going to say is going to be scrutinised.

"I would just say that I’m having a great time."

Rumours have suggested Bond producers had narrowed the shortlist of actors to three hopefuls - Callum Turner, Jack Lowden and Josh O’Connor. However, it has since been reported that Hollywood actors Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult - who have starred as Batman and Lex Luthor respectively for DC Studios - have both auditioned for the role of James Bond.

News of Pattinson and Hoult’s auditions came as a surprise as it was recently claimed that O’Connor had secured the role after successfully negotiating the final stages of the auditions with Amazon MGM Studios.

The Crown star, 36, had been appearing in the play Golden Boy in Islington, north London and The Sun newspaper reported one of his castmates let the Bond casting news slip after a "few glasses of lager" at a pub in Soho.

A source told the publication: "I bumped into one of Josh’s Golden Boy cast mates at The French House. A lot of people asked for selfies and we got chatting in a corner completely by accident.

"Out of nowhere, and oiled by a few glasses of lager, they blurted out that Josh was the next James Bond. I said it was pure speculation but they were insistent it was Josh.

"They said that he had confided in them about getting the role when the cast of Golden Boy had celebratory drinks after the play finished its run on Halloween. "

James Bond producer Amy Pascal has previously insisted the new 007 will be revealed to film fans by the end of 2026.

She told Deadline.com: "I would say the end of the year is a good bet. We are being really, really methodical."