Who will direct the next James Bond film now that Amazon MGM Studios has full creative control over the franchise?  Osgood Perkins doesn’t want to do it, but then “The Monkey” director wouldn’t be high on the studio’s list of hopefuls, anyway.  But what about “Conclave” director Edward Berger, who shot down rumors last year that he was in the running to helm “Bond 26”?

READ MORE: Osgood Perkins Refuses To Work With Amazon On Bond Franchise But Down To Tackle A Darth Vader Movie: “F*ck Jeff Bezos”

Variety reports that Berger had an update on his potential involvement with the franchise. Talking to the outlet on the 2025 Oscars red carpet, the director said he’s still interested in making a Bond film, but it’d be a different venture now that longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson no longer steer the franchise. “Barbara Broccoli is no longer doing it and she is at the heart of this project, so I think it’s something different,” Berger of the option. “I don’t know. Things have changed. We will certainly miss her very much.”

That’s a less harsh take than the”F*ck [Amazon CEO] Jeff Bezos” stance Perkins took on Reddit yesterday, but it comes from a similar place. The Bond franchise is indeed a much different property without Broccoli and Wilson backing it, and that may put off filmmakers who were once hopeful to take a stab at an installment.  That’s the case with Berger, who said he was “100%” intrigued when Broccoli still had creative control, but “now it’s a different equation.” “I don’t know what the future is going to look like,” he continued. “I am going to think about it if anyone calls me, but Barbara is at the heart of this. If she is no longer there it becomes a different thing.”

Amazon MGM Studios hasn’t announced any plans for James Bond’s future since the new joint venture between the studio, Broccoli and Wilson became official two weeks ago. And frankly, it’d be silly to expect any. But where 007 goes from here will be one of the biggest questions circulating Hollywood as 2025 unfolds.  It’s now no longer a matter of who will play Bond next, but also what Amazon MGM might do in terms of spinoffs, Prime Video series, and more.  There will be a new James Bond, but there could also be several, as well as a Bond cinematic universe that dilutes the brand’s prestige in cinema history.  

Both fans and Hollywood wait with bated breath to see what the future holds for the character, and without Broccoli involved to protect him, Bond could be in for a downfall. And if that’s the case, why would a director like Berger want to be involved?