Seeing the commercial and critical acclaim that Skyfall received, it was obvious that the producers were anxious to get Sam Medes to work his magic another time with the newest ‘Bond’ installment. However, upon rumors that Mendes may not be returning for another go round, he himself publicly confirmed what other’s had feared, he will not be directing the next ‘Bond’ film.
In an official statement Mendes said: “It has been a very difficult decision not to accept Michael and Barbara’s very generous offer to direct the next Bond movie. Directing Skyfall was one of the best experiences of my professional life, but I have theatre and other commitments, including productions of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and King Lear, that need my complete focus over the next year and beyond.”
No one can really say that this comes as much of a surprise, considering that upon completing Skyfall, Mendes admitted this would be a one time deal. However, based on the amount of popularity the film received many had hoped he would change his mind. Maybe Mendes will have a change of heart further down the line, but for now it appears that the producers of the next ‘Bond film’ will have some searching to do.