Danny Boyle confirms he'll direct Daniel Craig's final Bond film

With the next James Bond film set to be the last to feature Daniel Craig in the lead role, producers know they’ll need to get everything right.

Craig has been directed by three different directors in his four appearances so far, with Sam Mendes in charge for both Skyfall and Spectre, and the franchise has used a range of recognised and specialist directors over the last half-century.

So, when Danny Boyle was rumoured to be the frontrunner for the as-yet-untitled 25th Bond film, a few of us were more than a little surprised.

However, not only has the Oscar-winning director confirmed his involvement in the upcoming film, but he’s mentioned another name which should fill us with plenty of hope.

Boyle, who won the Best Director Oscar for his 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire, told Metro.us he plans to begin shooting on the film before the end of this year.

The film, which should hit cinemas in 2019, looks set to involve his regular collaborator John Hodge, the screenwriter on several Boyle films including Shallow Grave, The Beach and both Trainspotting movies.

“We are working on a script right now. And it all depends on that really. I am working on a Richard Curtis script at the moment. We hope to start shooting that in six or seven weeks. Then Bond would be right at the end of the year. But we are working on them both right now,” he said.

“We’ve got an idea, John Hodge, the screenwriter, and I have got this idea, and John is writing it at the moment. And it all depends on how it turns out. It would be foolish of me to give any of it away.”

We’re certain to see plenty of rumours about Craig’s successor as Bond now there’s more of a timeframe around his swansong.

Tom Hardy’s name has been mentioned in the past, and the Venom star is among the bookies’ favourites for the role, while others thought to be in contention include McMafia star James Norton and Boardwalk Empire’s Jack Huston.

If Boyle does a good job with the upcoming film, and his track record suggests he will, it could really reinvigorate the franchise just in time for a new star to step into the breach.

(Images: Getty)