He wasn't, then he was... maybe. Now Sony have made it official: Sam Mendes *will *be back behind the camera for Bond 24. The director, so assured on **Skyfall **but initially hesitant to commit to another 00-instalment, has thrilled the Bond faithful with the news that he'll be back for another slug of espionage.
"I am very pleased that by giving me the time I need to honour all my theatre commitments", Mendes said in a statement, "the producers have made it possible for me to direct Bond 24. I very much look forward to taking up the reins again, and to working with Daniel Craig, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for a second time.”
Wilson and Broccoli added: "Following the extraordinary success of Skyfall, we're really excited to be working once again with Daniel Craig, Sam Mendes and John Logan.”
We've rearranged the Bond 24 press release, scanned it for anomalies, dyed it blue, held it to the sunlight, but still haven't spotted a single clue about whether or not Blofeld will be in it. What it does reveal is that we Brits will see it ahead of Felix Leiter's mob. The UK release is October 23, 2015, while it has a US release scheduled for November 6.
For those keeping score, this further cements 2015's status as the Biggest Year For Films In All The History Of Ever, as Bond 24 joins Star Wars: Episode VII, Avengers 2, Terminator 5 (in theory), Independence Day 2 (if that goes as planned), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, and Pirates Of The Caribbean 5. Not to mention other potentially huge animated films, non-sequels and the rest of the slate.
While you're here, enjoy a few stills of Sam Mendes on the set of Skyfall as well as an early video of Mendes discussing taking on his first Bond film.
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