From the Yes That Never Was to the No That Changed Cinema: Bond According to Those Who Never Directed Him

Sometimes, the most fascinating cinematic universes are the ones that never existed. In the early 2000s, after the shockwaves from powerful films like Pi and that brutal punch to the gut that is Requiem for a Dream, Darren Aronofsky’s name echoed through every hallway in Hollywood. I saw Aronofsky as the natural heir to none other than Stanley Kubrick. Maybe that’s why the studios wanted him to resurrect Batman — to craft a completely new version, far from the unforgettable gothic shadow cast by Tim Burton.

In the end, as so often happens, the producers and the director couldn’t agree. But sometimes, a “no” is the best thing that can happen to cinema. Instead of giving us his Batman, Aronofsky gave us two soul-piercing masterpieces: The Wrestler and Black Swan. Two extraordinary films that, I swear, drive me absolutely crazy in the best way.

Christopher Nolan picked up the baton. Back then, Nolan was that one-of-a-kind director — a hypnotic mix of philosophy and math — who had already blown our minds with the enigmatic Memento. From his mind would emerge a trilogy that redefined the superhero genre: Batman Begins, the legendary The Dark Knight, and the epic The Dark Knight Rises.

But it was another film of his, Inception, that made the producers of James Bond sit on the edge of their seats. In it, they saw the very essence of the spy genre. When Nolan hung up the Batman cape to create more personal and monumental films like Interstellar and Dunkirk, his legendary status was unquestionable. The studios wanted him for everything — especially for their two crown jewels: Mission: Impossible and James Bond.

Then came 2020. Pandemic times. A brutal moment for cinema. Amid the uncertainty, Nolan made a master move: instead of taking over a franchise, he decided to create his own — one that would surpass them both through his intensely personal vision. The result was Tenet, a sci-fi action thriller with metaphysical undertones. A true visual beast that left half the world as stunned as it was confused. Tenet bombed commercially, but it might just be the best Bond movie never made.

And here’s where fate gets ironic. In Tenet, Nolan made two almost prophetic choices. While the world debated whether a Black actor could play James Bond, he cast John David Washington as his lead. And right next to him, as his mysterious partner, was Robert Pattinson — the man who, just a few years later, would become the new Batman. A perfect circle. Clearly, Nolan could summon not just the future, but alternate dimensions.

But Nolan wasn’t the only genius on the Bond shortlist. There was also David Fincher, whom many consider the dark master of tension — Hitchcock’s true successor. The thing is, Fincher had already made his own Bond film in his own way, and it was magnificent: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. In it, he fulfilled a fantasy for many: giving us a female super spy, the legendary Lisbeth Salander. And to top it off, he cast Daniel Craig, 007 himself, as journalist Mikael Blomkvist.

So why do these cinematic titans steer clear of 007? While directors like Sam Mendes brought incredible artistic depth to the saga with Skyfall and Spectre, the truth is that the Bond franchise is a gilded cage. It’s so restrictive and conservative that directors with strong auteur visions prefer not to commit. The list of those who’ve said “no” is a hall of fame in itself: Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Nicolas Winding Refn, and Danny Boyle. They all turned it down for the same reason — no creative control, no room for original storytelling, and certainly no chance to unleash their signature poetic violence.

But now the board has changed. Amazon bought the franchise, and one name is generating waves of imagination: Denis Villeneuve. Could we even begin to fathom the creative twists the director of masterpieces like Enemy, Arrival, and Blade Runner 2049 would bring to the Bond universe? Add to that the delicious irony that Jeff Bezos — Amazon’s founder — looks more and more like a Bond villain himself, and the idea becomes downright irresistible.

Having Villeneuve at the helm would mean stories with overwhelming visual power, deep narratives, and total immersion into the psyche of a more human, more vulnerable Bond. And now that Daniel Craig — who has grown tremendously as an actor — has hung up the tux, a big opportunity is open. Established names like Tom Hardy and Idris Elba are still in the mix, but rising stars like Tom Holland, Jacob Elordi, or the incredible Harris Dickinson — who left us speechless in Babygirl — are also knocking on the door.

Bond has now become a grand question mark. And it’s that very uncertainty that makes thinking about Bond’s future so thrilling today. Villenueve is already playing his game: thrill us.