Amazon MGM Studios film head Courtenay Valenti hit the Cinemacon stage Wednesday and immediately addressed the elephant in the room — James Bond.
“Now, I know you’re all wondering when we’re going to announce who’s playing James Bond,” Valenti said during her opening remarks. “Please know that we’re taking the time to do this with care and deep respect. It is the dream of a lifetime for all of us to bring audiences this next chapter, and it’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly.”
She added: “What I can tell you is this: when you pair one of the most beloved franchises in history with a world-class filmmaking team, including the brilliant director Denis Villeneuve, extraordinary producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman, executive producer Tanya Lapointe, and screenwriter Steven Knight, you’re setting the stage for something that’s truly worthy of the Bond legacy.”
“That film is coming, and when the time is right, we’ll have much more to share,” she said.
Historically, new James Bond actors are cast after intense rounds of screen tests. Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan and others landed their roles after performing scenes from classic Bond movies in front of a camera. Even the actors who don’t get the role have been immortalized in these famous screen tests — footage exists of Henry Cavill doing his best Bond, for example.
The next Bond movie will be the first installment since longtime stewards Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson ceded full creative control of the franchise to the studio last year.
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