Phoebe Waller-Bridge Rumoured To Direct Next James Bond Movie

Phoebe Waller-Bridge might just add the next James Bond movie to her list of franchises in which she is reportedly going to take part of, only this time as a director. Rumours are now getting louder, stating that the three-time Emmy Award-winning actress, writer, producer and director is likely to be at the helm of the next James Bond movie.

That is if Barbara Broccoli, the Bond franchise producer through her Eon Productions, will have her way. Considering Eon holds the rights to the 007 franchise, chances are pretty high. The only consideration seems to be time. Does Waller-Bridge have the time to fit a James Bond movie into her busy schedule?

Apart from the upcoming fifth movie and Harrison Ford’s last, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Waller-Bridge has her hands full with three other upcoming projects as an actress. Not to mention two as a writer and three as a producer.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge Might Just Direct The Next James Bond

In an article from Cinema Daily US, Broccoli has Waller-Bridge as her first choice. Of course, this is not without merit as the multi-faceted actress has scribbled her pen for the 2021 James Bond movie No Time To Die, which was actor Daniel Craig’s last stint as the world-renowned agent.

The article further wrote about an insider who said:

Daniel Craig brought Phoebe in to work on No Time To Die, and she added humour and pathos to the film. Everyone adored working with her.

According to the article, Waller-Bridge was Broccoli’s first choice as the movie’s director. The only setback to the possibility was that Waller-Bridge has a rather full schedule. The source said:

Barbara believes Phoebe is a huge talent and brings a fresh, modern take to Bond. They’ve already had very early discussions, but there are lots of variables in the equation, including Phoebe’s increasingly packed schedule.

Waller-Bridge seems to be one of the most talented people working in Hollywood today. Even Harrison Ford spoke so highly of her during the D23 Expo seven months ago when he gestured to the screen referring to the presentation they were having, he beamed, saying:

I’m proud to say this is FANTASTIC!!!

And he proceeded to point to Waller-Bridge and said:

And this is one of the reasons!

4 days ago, the movie released its official trailer, and people are now excited to see it more than ever. Before Waller-Bridge became Indiana Jones’ goddaughter, she has, however, taken on other roles from which she also shined.

She starred in BBC’s Fleabag from 2016 to 2019, which collected more than a hundred nominations and awards from various prestigious organizations, including six wins in the Primetime Emmy. She won three of those awards, one for her work as a producer, another for her writing, and a third for her performance as an actress.

Thirty-one previous projects as an actress could give one a lot of perspective in writing, especially if you already had the talent to begin with. And she brought her experience in comedy and theatrical flair to the James Bond franchise in her screenplay with Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Cary Joji Fukunaga for No Time To Die.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge Could Go From Pen To Helm In Next James Bond Movie

Phoebe Waller-Bridge Rumoured To Direct Next James Bond Movie

Credit: Lucasfilm

No Time To Die had very positive responses from critics and audiences alike. IMDb reflects a 7.3/10 rating, while Rotten Tomatoes show the PG-13 Action/Adventure movie with an 83% rating on the Tomatometer. At the same time, it boasts an Audience Score of 88% from more than 10,000 verified users. Out of all the 27 movies of 007, it ranked #7.

The Worldwide box office performance of the movie was also not a joke. It had a record of $760M from a production budget of $250M. Out of all 27 films, it is the third-best performer at the box office, with Skyfall taking the top rank and Spectre coming in second.

All things considered: box office, critics and audience ratings, the story and delivery of No Time To Die would most likely be a significant factor as to why the franchise owner is keen on having Waller-Bridge as the next director for their movie.

In the aspect of schedule, it is more likely that they will consider the earliest release date to fall within 2025. As with everything that is still in development, there is no story, not even an actor for the titular role has been officially selected. That will all happen in due time.

What do you make of the possibility that Phoebe Waller-Bridge may just be the next James Bond movie’s director? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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