Denis Villeneuve is set to direct the next James Bond film for Amazon MGM Studios, the studio announced Wednesday.

Amy Pascal and David Heyman will produce, as previously announced, with Tanya Lapointe exec producing.

Villeneuve has been rumored as one of the high-profile directors being looked at for the project, alongside the likes of Edward Berger, Edgar Wright, Jonathan Nolan and Paul King. Earlier, the sense was that Alfonso Cuarón, a frequent collaborator of producer Heyman, might be taking the gig.

The Bond directing gig has been the most closely watched in town ever since Amazon MGM acquired full creative control of the franchise in February in a historic deal with longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, resulting in a new joint venture. The studio gained distribution rights to Bond with the acquisition of MGM Studios for $8.5 billion in 2022, but has not yet been able to get a new film off the ground, presumably given creative differences with the franchise’s previous stewards. There hasn’t been a new Bond film since Daniel Craig wrapped up his time with the franchise with No Time to Die in the fall of 2021.

The hiring of Villeneuve comes as a bit of a shock, given that he’ll be tied up for the foreseeable future with his third and final Dune film for Warner Bros and Legendary Entertainment, which is shooting this summer and slated for release on December 16, 2026. He’s been working on that franchise in some capacity since 2017, having released the first film in 2021, and has also been linked to projects in development including Cleopatra; an adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke’s classic sci-fi novel Rendezcous with Rama; and Nuclear War: A Scenario, an adaptation of the work of non-fiction by Annie Jacobsen, on which we were first to report.

At the same time, the four-time Oscar nominee has demonstrated with his work on the Dune films that he’s exactly the kind of visionary who should be mounting Bond at a time when the future of the franchise is uncertain — a filmmaker with great taste and an epic sensibility who knows how to make franchise fare feel fresh. His two Frank Herbert adaptations to date have been both critical and commercials successes, garnering eight Oscars from 15 nominations, and grossing over $1.1 billion worldwide. Prior to Dune, the Canadian director helmed a sequel to Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic Blade Runner for Warner Bros, seeing Blade Runner 2049 score two Oscars from five nominations and draw critical raves, even as it underwhelmed commercially with over $267 million worldwide.

In a statement on his new project, Villeneuve said, “Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery. I’m a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he’s sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor. Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.”

Commented Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, “We are honored that Denis has agreed to direct James Bond’s next chapter. He is a cinematic master, whose filmography speaks for itself. From Blade Runner 2049 to Arrival to the Dune films, he has delivered compelling worlds, dynamic visuals, complex characters, and—most importantly—the immersive storytelling that global audiences yearn to experience in theaters. James Bond is in the hands of one of today’s greatest filmmakers and we cannot wait to get started on 007’s next adventure.”

Pascal and Heyman added, “Denis Villeneuve has been in love with James Bond movies since he was a little boy. It was always his dream to make this movie, and now it’s ours, too. We are lucky to be in the hands of this extraordinary filmmaker.”

Villeneuve is repped by CAA, Claude Girard Agency in Canada, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman.