After the "Dune" saga, Denis Villeneuve will direct Amazon's next James Bond film... but who will play the famous spy?

Following the box-office success of the Dune saga, director Denis Villeneuve will be at the helm of the next James Bond adventures, Amazon MGM Studios announced on Wednesday.

The online retail giant has chosen a very popular Hollywood filmmaker for its highly anticipated first foray into the world of the British spy imagined by writer Ian Fleming.

"I am a huge Bond fan. For me, he is a sacred character," Villeneuve said in a statement, adding that he "grew up watching James Bond films with my father."

"I intend to honor the tradition and pave the way for many new missions to come," he added. "It's a huge responsibility, but also something incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor."

It is still unclear who will play Her Majesty's spy in the Amazon era.

Daniel Craig hung up his James Bond costume in 2021, following the release of No Time To Die . Since then, the fate of 007's adventures has taken many twists and turns.

A pledge given to purists

Amazon paid nearly $8.45 billion to acquire the legendary Hollywood studio MGM in 2022, which included the catalog of old James Bond films.

But the distribution giant faced resistance for three years from Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson, the saga's long-standing producers, who had jealously guarded creative control of the character for decades.

Amazon finally reached a financial agreement with them in February to take creative control of the franchise. For an undisclosed amount, it allows Jeff Bezos's company to direct the next Bond adventures.

Some fans fear that the character will be overexploited by Amazon, which could multiply the number of films, or even release series and spin-offs directly on Prime, its streaming platform.

In this context, the choice of Denis Villeneuve resonates as a pledge given to purists.

"We are honored that Denis has agreed to direct the next chapter of James Bond. He is a master of cinema, whose filmography speaks for itself," said Mike Hopkins, head of Amazon MGM Studios and Amazon Prime.

Directed by Mr. Villeneuve, both installments of the science fiction saga Dune were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Released last year, the second film in this universe grossed $700 million at the global box office and won two Oscars—for Best Sound and Best Visual Effects.

The Canadian director is also known for Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival .