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A producer involved in the upcoming James Bond film has expressed his enthusiasm for navigating the franchise’s future under Amazon MGM Studios’ ownership, speaking to BBC News.
David Heyman, alongside fellow 007 co-producer Amy Pascal, briefly addressed the film’s progress on the red carpet at the London Film Festival, where they were promoting their latest project, *Jay Kelly*.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun, and I think we’re going to make something very special,” Heyman stated to the BBC.
Earlier this year, long-time Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson reportedly reached an agreement with Amazon, ceding creative control in a deal estimated at $1 billion (£760 million).
Steven Knight, the creator of *Peaky Blinders*, is slated to pen the script for the new Bond installment, with Denis Villeneuve of *Dune* fame attached to direct. The identity of the next James Bond actor remains unconfirmed.
Heyman commented: “It’s early days. I think we have a magnificent director, a wonderful writer. And it’s great to be working with Amy Pascal as a partner on this odyssey.”
He acknowledged the legacy, adding: “It’s a tall order. Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson did such a remarkable job over the years.”
Heyman is renowned for producing the entire *Harry Potter* film series, as well as the *Paddington* movies. Amy Pascal produced the Tom Holland *Spider-Man* trilogy, along with the animated hits *Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse* and *Across the Spider-Verse*.
Their most recent collaboration, *Jay Kelly*, premiered in the UK at the Royal Festival Hall.
*Jay Kelly* stars George Clooney as the eponymous character, a movie star in his 60s reflecting on his life and career, and re-evaluating the impact of his choices on his family.
Heyman previously collaborated with Clooney on the Oscar-winning sci-fi drama *Gravity*.
“He’s just a wonderful actor, this part is particularly brave. He’s going to very uncomfortable places, exposing some really vulnerability. Because the film is also very much about the facades we put on in our lives.”
Clooney, also present on the red carpet, stated that while he is of a similar age to his character, he believes he has avoided making the same mistakes.
“It’s about sacrifices we all make,” Clooney said. “The character I play, he’s got a lot of regret. And I don’t really have quite that much regret, I’ve had a fairly full life. I have great friends and great family. So I feel very lucky to have pursued my career in the way that I have.”
While Jay Kelly reflects on his past, George Clooney says he’s looking forward, with progress being made on *Ocean’s 14*, the fourth film in the *Ocean’s 11* series.
“We got our budget approved, so now we’ve just got to find a date when everybody’s available which Is a little bit of a trick. But we’re getting to work on it.”
*Jay Kelly* also features Adam Sandler as Clooney’s long-suffering manager, a role he says he could draw upon from past experiences.
“Like everyone in the world you have good friends, you have people you believe in [that] you love. And my character gets to believe in my friend Clooney.
“I think he’s a very funny, good, giving man. And I know him over the years, and this is the first time I ever got to sit and hang out with George for long sets of time, and we had nothing but fun.”
Sandler’s performance is generating early Oscar speculation, but he remains focused on the present.
“That’s a very interesting thought. I don’t know. I don’t really think about that stuff,” he says. “People have mentioned nice stuff about our movie, and I’m proud of that.”
*Jay Kelly* will be released in cinemas on 14 November and will be available on Netflix from 5 December.
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The filmmaker said it is not what her dad, who died in 2014, would have wanted.
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