While Edgar Wright might not be the first name you’d throw out there when asked who should get to take a swing at writing the next James Bond movie, you can’t deny the thought is actually pretty damn cool. With films like Baby Driver, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and the upcoming psychological horror romp Last Night in Soho under his belt, there seems to be little question of if Wright could do it, but rather if the dark comedy legend would even be given chance to shoot his shot. However, Wright might just be manifesting the opportunity for himself, confessing in a recent podcast appearance he already has a pitch ready to go.
On the latest episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the British director gushed about his love of the James Bond series to host Josh Horowitz before telling him what direction he thinks the 007 franchise needs to go in. According to Wright, the James Bond movies are a mix of “dark chocolate of milk chocolate,” with “dark chocolate” referring to the films with a more intense take on Bond and his storyline and “milk chocolate” meaning the movies that are a bit more light-hearted and comedic in tone.
Wright says that after Daniel Craig’s decidedly “dark chocolate” approach to the character, the series is “crying out for another milk chocolate Bond,” as there’s nothing “to be gained by continuing in the same vein.” Luckily for MGM, Wright even has an idea for a “milk chocolate” James Bond movie, however the director is unsure of if the studio feels the same way about the series’ direction as he does based on the names he’s seen tossed around for the upcoming project.
“I don’t think there’s anything to be gained by continuing in the same vein, and I think it would certainly be interesting to try and… I mean, I do have a take [on Bond], and if they ever ask me, I’ll pitch it to them [laughs], so I’m not going to say it, but when I see some of the names being bandied around, I can’t quite see it, and they seem like Daniel Craig II.”
To Wright’s point, all of the rumors and names tossed around do seem to foreshadow the Bond character will remain more serious in the series’ next installment, making his light-hearted, comedy pitch seem a bit too out there to be greenlit. Hell, even Dune director Denis Villeneuve seems to be advocating for a shot to direct the next 007 movie, and we all know he takes himself and his work very seriously. However, fingers crossed Wright one day gets to at least pitch his idea and maybe we see the Thor: Ragnarok-ification of the Bond series. We all know the suave super spy likes things shaken anyways.