Sam Mendes to Direct Next James Bond Film

MGM has announced (via The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision Blog) that Oscar winning director Sam Mendes is in negotiations to direct the upcoming 23rd James Bond movie.

The site reports production is being fast-tracked and could begin as early as June with an eye toward a 2011 release. Writers Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Peter Morgan, and producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are still attached in their respective roles.

Mendes’ previous action movies include “Jarhead” and “The Road To Perdition”, he has also directed acclaimed movies “Away We Go” (grossed $10 million domestically last summer), “Revolutionary Road” and “American Beauty”, for which he won an Oscar.

The previous Bond movie, 2008’s “Quantum Of Solace” was directed by Marc Forster and grossed $586 million worldwide.

Daniel Craig will reprise his role as 007.

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