Sam Mendes Confirms His Exit From James Bond Franchise

 

Having delivered Skyfall in 2012, followed by Spectre in 2015, director Sam Mendes has become synonymous with the James Bond franchise with many devotees of the character feeling that he has successfully brought a more modern feel to the movie series, which has now been running for over half a century. However, after months of speculation and rumour, Mendes has now essentially confirmed that he will not be returning for the next instalment.

Talking to the press, Sam Mendes explained that he leaves James Bond with nothing but fond memories. He said “It was an incredible adventure I loved every second of it but I think it’s time for somebody else. I’m a storyteller, and at the end of the day, I want to make stories with new characters.”

This confirmation means it’s looking increasingly likely that a clean creative sweep is about to take place in the James Bond franchise, with the chances of Daniel Craig returning to the iconic role shrinking by the day. While the next Bond instalment is already in early development, Craig is busy signing on for a number of non-Bond projects. This turn of events opens up a great opportunity for what has become something of a stagnant property. Bond is undoubtedly a legend, but in this age of superheroes and calls for gender equality on screen, he also something of a relic from a different, more problematic era. This was never more evident than during the promotional tour of Spectre in 2015, when the media celebrated the film’s achievement in including a ‘Bond Girl’ who wasn’t half the age of the leading man (Monica Bellucci). That this was even considered an achievement at all speaks volumes about the nature of the films.