Denis Villeneuve is set to direct the next James Bond movie, a thrilling prospect that only a small handful of other movies might be able to give a glimpse into. Known for daring dramas like Maelström and cutting-edge science fiction movies like Dune, Denis Villeneuve’s films bear a distinct style that’s hard to replicate or even quantify.

It’s a rare handful of movies that actually give a glimpse into what Villeneuve’s upcoming Bond film might actually look like. Looking at the more prestige cinema Bond films, other serious espionage thrillers, and Villeneuve’s earlier work, an idea of what the exciting next addition of the Bond franchise might look like slowly starts to take shape.

10

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

A Shockingly Good Outlier For Bond

While the 007 franchise is famous for the rotating cast of actors that periodically play Bond for a few movies at a time, each encompᴀssing a distinct era of the franchise, one of its best films features a Bond that never returned for another installment. Enter George Lazenby in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, which sees Bond navigate a dangerous villainess and a turbulent romance.

Despite featuring a world-threatening plot typical of Bond’s almost superhero spy antics, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is shockingly grounded, reveling in the drama of Bond’s touching love story and his increasing desire to leave MI6. This more human take on a Bond film might be reflective of what Villeneuve would wish to explore considering how deeply character-driven his films are.

9

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

A Critically Acclaimed Espionage Thriller

Spy movies fall into one of two categories: grounded thrillers that resonate with what actual spy work looks like in reality, and high-flying adventures laden with gadgets, supervillains, and fight scenes. Bond movies tend to fall in the latter category, but it’s possible Villeneuve would want to lean further into the former, with films like Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy as a template.

Set in the throes of the Cold War, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy centers on the hunt for a mole buried within the top echelons of Britain’s secret intelligence leadership. Navigating a strikingly complex script with incredible grace, aided by heartfelt performances by Gary Oldman and Colin Firth, the film examines the loneliness that comes with a high classification in the intelligence field.

8

Sicario

One Of Villeneuve’s Strongest Set In The Real World

The closest thing Villeneuve has already made to a James Bond film, Sicario is arguably his strongest work set in a plain-old reality devoid of aliens, androids, or mind-altering Spice. The plot follows an FBI Agent working along the southern United States border to confront the violent drug trade.

Sicario shows off how Villeneuve might handle balancing a violent story with humor and thoughtful themes. The movie is a great example of Villeneuve’s staple direction of brutal, grounded action scenes that benefit from his signature excellence in sound design, something that his upcoming Bond flick will be sure to utilize.

7

Enemy

A Pressure Cooker Of Graudally-Building Tension

Any great spy movie features plenty of tension, with high stakes, double crosses, and ambiguous players. All three of these elements are possessed by Enemy in spades, one of Denis Villeneuve’s more underrated films. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a Canadian professor who discovers he has a physical doppelgänger, going to great lengths to uncover his idenтιтy.

Enemy shows off just how much Villeneuve can revel in the unknown, taunting audiences with the question as to whether both of its main characters are even two different people at all. With all the stalking, tracking, and sleuthing revolving around the core mystery of Enemy, it’s clear that the Bond franchise is in great hands.

6

Prisoners

Villeneuve’s Bombastic Hollywood Introduction

The film that truly put Denis Villeneuve on the map in Hollywood, Prisoners is a gritty crime drama that shockingly conveys the depths a desperate man will go to perpetrating a vicious cycle of violence. When two young girls are kidnapped in a Pennsylvania suburb, the floundering police investigation prompts one angry father to take matters into his own hands.

Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal are phenomenal in Prisoners, realizing Villeneuve’s incredible ideas with stunning proficiency. Whichever Hollywood star ends up getting cast as the next James Bond, the French director will more than be able to give them the direction they need to flourish, and Prisoners proves it.

5

Bridge Of Spies

Proves That Spy Movies Can Also Be Character Studies

In the capable hands of Stephen Spielberg and Tom Hanks, the spy genre never seemed as thought-provoking or dramatic as it does in Bridge of Spies. The film tells the real story of lawyer James B. Donovan, played by Hanks, as he heads to the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War to negotiate the release of a captured American pilot.

Lauded with near-universal acclaim, Bridge of Spies might be more of a historical biopic than a straightforward spy flick, but is still an amazing inspiration to look at thanks to its stunning marriage of espionage thriller and character study. Should the next Bond movie dare to be a period piece, Bridge of Spies would be a great template.

4

Casino Royale

Some Of Bond’s Most Vicious And Exciting Work

The casting of Daniel Craig redefined the image of Bond in the pop culture zeitgeist, going from a goofy pun-slinging womanizer to a ruthlessly efficient but heavily distraught killer. This more violent version of Bond that is likely closer to Villeneuve’s vision is at his best in Casino Royale, easily one of the greatest Bond movies ever made.

Here, Daniel Craig’s 007 must infiltrate a high-stakes poker game in order to get close enough to strike at Mads Mikkelsen’s eerie blood-weeping villain. Pulpy, riveting, and hard to watch at times, Casino Royale has all the adrenaline and thrill of going all-in at a poker table, and Villeneueve would do well to emulate it within the bounds of his own personal style.

3

License To Kill

A Bond Movie That Isn’t Afraid To Get Its Hands Dirty

License to Kill sets itself apart from other Bond films quite early on, with atrocities that make the rope-based torture of Casino Royale seem like child’s play. Here, Timothy Dalton’s Bond goes rogue, embarking on a personal vendetta to take down a drug lord who killed one of his closest friends without the supervision of MI6.

Films were Bond strays from the beaten path are always welcome, and License to Kill deserves credit for being refreshingly different. Far grittier than any campy adventure from Pierce Brosnan or Sean Connery, the violent spy thriller culminates with one of Bond’s best action setpieces ever.

2

The Bourne Supremacy

Still The Best Enduring Classic Of An Aged Series

Though it’s fallen off dramatically in the modern day in terms of pop culture influence, once upon a time, the Jason Bourne movies were the runaway champion of espionage action. While the first film of the initial trilogy sowed the seeds of Bourne’s idenтιтy and the third film answered these questions satisfyingly, The Bourne Supremacy represents the best of the series’ action.

Pitting Jason Bourne against the CIA is a stroke of genius that makes for a superb action thriller, with Matt Damon’s тιтular hero becoming a one-man army as he fights to make up for his past deeds. The character-driven action sH๏τ in a trademark handheld style is the perfect primer for a Villeneuve Bond movie.

1

Argo

Pulls Off An Insane Plan That Actually Really Happened

After imbibing in Matt Damon’s best spy flick, it’s only fitting for the next course to be Ben Affleck’s counterpart. One element of spy work that’s often overlooked is the elaborate cover stories that many secret agents have to fabricate, and Argo is the best window into what these ridiculous charades actually look like from the inside.

The film stars Affleck as a spy navigating the Iranian hostage crisis, posing as a science fiction movie director wanting to film in Iran in order to cover for his rescue of 6 American diplomats. Pulse-pounding tension punctuated by small nuggets of comedic relief paint an amazing picture of spy work, one that future Bond movies could do to take notes of.