Five directors who nearly directed James Bond films
In preparation for the latest instalment in the 007 film series – which will be written by Steven Knight and directed by Denis Villeneuve – here is a rundown of five directors who nearly helmed Bond projects.
Five directors who nearly directed James Bond films
In preparation for the latest instalment in the 007 film series – which will be written by Steven Knight and directed by Denis Villeneuve – here is a rundown of five directors who nearly helmed Bond projects.
5. Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan has been in multiple rounds of discussions with EON—particularly around Skyfall and Spectre—but scheduling and creative alignment never quite clicked. Nolan has repeatedly stated he would only direct Bond if allowed to overhaul the series from the ground up, a level of control the producers were not ready to grant during the Daniel Craig era. Still, his admiration for 007 remains clear, calling the films “a huge influence” on his work.
4. Danny Boyle
Danny Boyle was officially hired to direct No Time To Die in 2018, with an entirely different script and villain concept from the one that eventually made it to cinemas. But long-running creative tensions with EON reached a breaking point, leading to Boyle’s abrupt exit and a months-long production delay.
3. Quentin Tarantino
In the early 2000s, Quentin Tarantino pitched a gritty, 1960s-set adaptation of Casino Royale starring Pierce Brosnan, insisting it would be a straight Fleming period piece. EON rejected the pitch immediately, unwilling to break continuity or surrender creative control to an outside filmmaker.
2. Alfred Hitchcock
Hitchcock’s name surfaced in pre-EON discussions in the late 1950s, when producer Kevin McClory explored adapting Thunderball long before the official series took shape. McClory admired North by Northwest and considered Hitchcock ideal, but the idea never advanced into formal talks—and EON never approached him once the franchise launched.
1. Steven Spielberg
After Jaws and Close Encounters, Steven Spielberg personally approached producer Albert R. Broccoli—twice—hoping to direct a Bond film. Broccoli turned him down both times, reportedly saying Spielberg “wasn’t ready,” a move the director later joked about when he teamed up with George Lucas to create Indiana Jones. Spielberg has since admitted he “always wanted to make a Bond movie,” but the window closed long before EON ever softened to outside auteurs.
