Reports have surfaced that Sam Mendes (Away We Go, Revolutionary Road) is negotiating to direct the 23rd James Bond film. This is unexpected news considering the next installment of the Bond franchise is still a long ways to go with recent reports that Bond’s timetable was up in the air due to the MGM sale.

Not much else is known about the 23rd installment of Bonds. However Daniel Craig is set to reprise his role as 007, while writers Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Peter Morgan, and producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are all still attached in their respective roles.

Bond 23 is tentatively set for a 2011 release date.

Mendes who signed up to direct the Vertigo comic adaptation of “Preacher,” may have it actually pushed back for Bonds. Considering the script for “Preacher” is still in revision and drafting stages, we may see Bonds before we see Custer.

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