![Mendes directed 2012's "Skyfall", the highest grossing Bond film ever.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/3b/09/3b0968210750271570e3b04f5b920787.jpg?itok=ryoOnok1 "Mendes directed 2012's "Skyfall", the highest grossing Bond film ever.")
The director behind like year's "Skyfall" will not be returning to the 007 franchise anytime time soon. Sam Mendes told Empire magazine that, while the produces made a very generous offer for his return, he will not direct the next installment in the British spy franchise.
"Directing Skyfall was one of the best experiences of my professional life," Mendes said, "but I have theater 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."
Mendes will also be working with "Skyfall" co-writer John Logan on a horror series, "Penny Dreadful", for Showtime. Logan is slated to write the next two James Bond movies.
Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson remain hopeful that Mendes will return to the franchise sometime in the future. Saying in a statement: "We thoroughly enjoyed working with Sam, he directed our most successful Bond movie ever, Skyfall. We would have loved to have made the next film with him, but completely respect his decision to focus on other projects and hope to have the opportunity to collaborate with him again."
This news comes as no surprise, as Mendes let it be known from the beginning that "Skyfall" would be his sole commercial film before returning to more personal, smaller productions.
Comments