Following the surprising news that Amazon has taken full creative control over the James Bond franchise, with long-time 007 producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson stepping back, a new report has provided insights into the franchise's future direction. This includes a surprising revelation about a high-profile director who was turned down for the role.

Despite speculation that Amazon might opt for a Bond TV series, Variety has confirmed that a new Bond film remains the "top priority." The immediate next step for Amazon is to appoint a new producer for the franchise. They are reportedly eyeing someone like David Heyman, known for his cohesive vision with the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series, as the ideal candidate.

In an intriguing twist, the report also disclosed that acclaimed director Christopher Nolan had shown interest in helming a Bond film following his work on Tenet. However, Broccoli had stipulated that no director would receive "final cut" privileges under her leadership, leading to Nolan's rejection. Nolan subsequently directed Oppenheimer, which was a massive success, grossing nearly $1 billion worldwide and earning him the Best Director Oscar, along with the film receiving the Best Picture award.

Variety reported that Amazon cannot proceed with hiring for the Bond franchise until the finalization of its deal with Broccoli and Wilson, which is anticipated to occur later this year. This news follows a contentious report that the future of the James Bond franchise was "on pause" due to a bitter standoff between the Broccoli family and Amazon.

The conflict arose after Amazon's acquisition of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for $8.45 billion in 2021, which included the rights to release Bond films. The Wall Street Journal described the situation as leaving Bond "trapped" amidst the battle for creative control between Broccoli, who previously had the final say on who played the iconic British spy, and Amazon.

As of now, neither Amazon nor Eon Productions has issued an official statement regarding these developments.