Earlier this week, Eon Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — the companies behind the James Bond franchise — announced their next 007 thriller would reach cinemas 8 November 2019.

However, there was no announcement over who would be playing the iconic character or who would be directing the upcoming blockbuster.

With Daniel Craig pretty much confirmed to reprise the role, reports have emerged suggesting who could take over from Sam Mendes as the 25th instalment’s director.

While Baby Driver’s Edgar Wright and Dunkirk’s Christopher Nolan have been high on the rumour list — mainly thanks to having films currently out — Deadline is reporting on three frontrunners: Yann Demange, Denis Villeneuve and David Mackenzie.

Demange — the current favourite — is best known for directing the British historical thriller ’71, starring This Is England’s Jack O’Connell. The film received almost universal critical acclaim, Demange winging the 2014 best director award at the British Independent Film Award.

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Both Villeneuve and Mackenzie’s recent films, Arrival and Hell or High Water, featured at last year’s Oscars, with Villeneuve currently working on the Blade Runner sequel and soon helming the upcoming adaptation of Dune (likely meaning his schedule is too busy for Bond).

Nolan recently said in an interview on Bond: “I’ve spoken to the producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson over the years. I deeply love the character, and I’m always excited to see what they do with it.

“Maybe one day that would work out. You’d have to be needed, if you know what I mean. It has to need reinvention; it has to need you. And they’re getting along very well.”

The producers are also rumoured to be “determined” to bring back Adele to record the theme tune after singing the lead track on Skyfall — the first 007 theme to win a Grammy and a Golden Globe award.

The new film does not have a formal title yet. It will be written by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, the duo who handled the scripts for Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre.