Denis Villeneuve tapped to direct next Bond movie

In the 50-plus years of James Bond, the wait between films has never gone longer than six years. The next entry, and first since Daniel Craig's dramatic exit, may test that — but things are speeding up.

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On Wednesday, Amazon MGM Studio announced that Denis Villeneuve will direct the 26th Bond movie, putting the franchise in the hands of one of the most respected big-budget filmmakers.

Villeneuve, the 57-year-old French Canadian director, has established himself as a steward of cinematic IP (“Blade Runner 2049,” “Dune”) and a specialist in dark, doom-laden spectacle (“Sicaro,” “Arrival”).

“James Bond is in the hands of one of today’s greatest filmmakers,” said Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.