Bond 25: 8 Potential Directors (And Where They Should Take The Series Next)

Martin Campbell is responsible for two of the best Bond films ever made: Goldeneye, which established Pierce Brosnan as the enigmatic spy, and Casino Royale, which ushered in a new era of Bond. Hard to believe, but Casino Royale was released way back in 2008 - maybe it's time Campbell took another crack at it?

Twice now, Campbell has eased new actors into the role. With rumours of Daniel Craig finally setting down the martinis and walking away from Bond for good, it could be time for Martin to get acquainted with someone new. Besides, don't all good things come in threes? If Daniel Craig is leaving that may mean another semi-reboot, depending on whether or not it's decided to keep the rest of the extended cast.

Sam Mendes' Skyfall was a fantastic blend of old Bond and new, but most assumed it was blending old as a one-off homage to the series' fiftieth anniversary. Spectre, on the other hand, continued down this road to seriously mixed results. After Casino Royale, the edge that Campbell brought to Bond was almost immediately softened, with each subsequent film moving away from it. This is strange because Campbell was celebrated for doing the exact opposite: transplanting Bond into a contemporary setting in which he's actually believable and engaging.

Campbell knows how to write a dark, compelling narrative. Most forget, for example, just how dark Goldeneye was too. Hell, even Campbell's lesser films like Edge Of Darkness have an impressively oppressive tone. Campbell could return Bond to a world that genuinely feels dangerous, one that's filled with betrayal and even the great James Bond can be tied up and brutally tortured by a villain like Le Chiffre.