Danny Boyle to direct 'Bond 25' starring Daniel Craig; release date set for October 2019
While the 2015 James Bond film 'Spectre' was a commercial success, fans were mostly left disappointed with the 24th installment of the famed franchise. Rumors were swirling around that Daniel Craig would not be returning as 007, quite possibly bringing an abrupt end to his stint as the famed MI-6 agent.
But the actor has since confirmed that he will be reprising his role in what will be the 25th film of the long-running spy series and more pieces of the puzzle are now beginning to fall into place. Most importantly, the movie, Bond 25, now has a director, and it's none other than Academy-award winning director Danny Boyle of 'Slumdog Millionaire' and '27 Hours' fame.
'Bond 25' will reportedly begin filming sometime this year and is primed for a 2019 release. Boyle's involvement in the project has been confirmed by none other than Bond series producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, whose Eon Productions have produced each of the previous 24 installments as well.
The pair released a statement which read: "We are delighted to announce that the exceptionally talented Danny Boyle will be directing Daniel Craig in his fifth outing as James Bond in the 25th installment of the franchise. We will begin shooting Bond 25 at Pinewood Studios in December with our partners at MGM and thrilled that Universal will be our international distributor."
The pick for domestic distribution rights is a bit of a surprise, however. While MGM is involved, Annapurna Pictures, which only began distributing films in 2017 and has not handled a franchise the size of James Bond, has inevitably raised eyebrows. On a similar note, despite MGM's stature, the studio has not acted as a distributor on a Bond film since 'Die Another Day' in 2002.
Craig's reluctance at taking up the role for what should be one of the biggest Bond films to date should indicate to fans that this is most likely going to be his fifth and last appearance as 007. With the revered Boyle at the helm, one will hope that Craig gets the swansong he deserves.
According to Slashfilm, the untitled 25th James Bond movie will begin on December 3, 2018. The film is slated to hit U.K. theaters on October 25, 2019, and the United States on November 8, 2019.