Casino Royale director Martin Campbell shuts down James Bond return talk

‘Casino Royale’ director Martin Campbell has insisted he is not the top choice to direct the next James Bond movie.

The 81-year-old filmmaker - who helmed the 2006 blockbuster that marked Daniel Craig's debut as 007 as well as the Pierce Brosnan-starring ‘GoldenEye’ in 1995 - was rumoured to be in the running to direct the next James Bond flick, though has now stressed he is not attached to the picture.

When Screen Rant asked Campbell about the rumour he could be returning to the spy franchise, he said: “I'm sure that's b*******.

“Look, anything you actually hear about Bond, whether it be the casting, anything you read online, don't believe a word of it. I've been through this on two Bond films, right, and you'd be amazed about the stuff that comes out. None of it is true. I mean, almost a hundred per cent wrong, honestly.”

Even so, the ‘Cleaner’ director didn’t close the door on the spy series completely.

When asked if he’d get back behind the camera for another James Bond film, he said: “Yeah, I wouldn't say no.

“The point is that I love Bond. Bond is something I grew up with, right? Way back to ‘Dr. No’, when I took my mother to see it.

“And Bond is, always for me, an event picture. The point is, when I used to see Bond, it was an event. And that's what's so great about them. The budgets are big, the action's terrific, and the character's terrific.”

The ‘Dirty Angels’ filmmaker also commented on a recently leaked Henry Cavill audition tape, which was seemingly for the role of Bond before Craig was given the part, though Campbell insisted the video “had nothing to do with ‘Casino Royale’” and was instead "kind of for 'GoldenEye'".

He explained: “I sometimes read, there's a hilarious thing I watched on YouTube, which was Henry Cavill's ‘Casino Royale’ audition. Well, it's b*******.

“I mean, he's doing an audition, but it was kind of for ‘GoldenEye’, it had nothing to do with 'Casino'. They make this b****** up all the time, and it's rubbish, quite frankly.”

Reflecting on the series as a whole, Campbell emphasised he “loved” all of the iterations of James Bond, though revealed the late Sir Sean Connery’s take on the character was likely his favourite.

He said: “I've loved all the Bonds. I mean, the original Connery, who I was brought up with, was probably my favourite, if you see what I mean.

“But the way it's actually the arc of Bond over how many years, God knows it at 50 years or something. It's extraordinary. So he's obviously doing something right.”

The James Bond series was last seen in 2021 with ‘No Time To Die’, and producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson are currently scouting for the next 007 - with rumoured contenders for the role including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Idris Elba, Tom Hardy and Josh O’Connor.