5 choices for 'Bond 25' director

Ben Wheatley

Why? I'm not the biggest Wheatley fan, but he's a name that's bound to be bandied around in Bond discussions, and I think he could be a good fit for the position. My favourite film of his, Free FIre, was also probably his most mainstream film yet, which suggests that his quirky sensibilities may work best when (to an extent) there's some sort of studio control. Of course, his fans might see Bond as being a constraint on his creative capabilities, in which case he might not be the most popular choice. Regardless, his kinetic, visceral and occasionally quite gritty storytelling techniques may well bring something quite interesting to the genre, particularly if they're going to focus on Bond's more brutish side. He'll have a whole flock of Brit character actors supporting Craig, and I hope he'll find some way to play someone like Luke Evans or Michael Smiley opposite him, maybe as adversaries, or even friends.

Hypothetical Bond villain: Luke Evans as a mentally unstable mercenary, with Michael Smiley playing his more level-headed confidant and second-in-command.

Hypothetical Bond girl: Michelle Dockery as a cynical contract killer who decides to play disorder and chaos in the MI5 to her advantage.  

Kathryn Bigelow 

One of the most talented directors in the industry, Bigelow has a punch and viscreal edge to her films that's impossible to replicate in other hands, whether it's the endearing cheesiness of Point Break or the down-to-earth grittiness of The Hurt Locker. She showed in Zero Dark Thirty that she could mount tension and a government procedural like no other, and I think bringing that sort of vibe to the Bond films could be very interesting, though if they were to go in the more 'classic' Bond direction, I'm sure she'd also find some way to merge those elements with Craig's performance seamlessly.

Hypothetical Bond villain: Paul Dano as a self-made millionaire and beloved public figure, who's been having government agents investigating his shady dealings murdered.

Hypothetical Bond girl: Ruth Negga as a seductive, wisecracking female spy equivalent to Bond who at first butts heads with him.

Joe Carnahan

Carnahan's gone surprisingly under the radar considering how many somewhat notable Hollywood productions, from the (admittedly financially underperforming) The A-Team to The Grey, and his zanier smaller-scale productions like Smokin' Aces and Stretch. He's shown a flair for the vibrant and crazy in the latter, and a knack for nailing characterization and action in the former. Combined, I'd think he'd be a good choice for trying to appeal to both the audiences who like their Bond rough and coarse, and those who like him smooth and more light-hearted.

Hypothetical Bond villain: Chris Pine. In crazy mode. Period.

Hypothetical Bond girl: Chirs Pine. In crazy mode. Period.

Michaël R. Roskam

Neither Tom Hardy nor Matthias Schoenaerts are playing Bond even though I'm sure both could do an amazing job of it, but their collaborator Roskam is a great candidate for directing the next installment. Roskam has showed a knack so far for exploring the seedy underworlds of both Belgium and Boston. He has such a knack for creating an atmosphere and tension in a confined environment, and I'd love to see how this skill translates to his depiction of Bond and the perhaps equally seedy world of the MI6. He has such a strange sort of elegance to his depiction of the brutal and the grimy, and that would fuse well into the world of Bond which is equal parts alluring and disturbing.

Hypothetical Bond villain: Schoenaerts playing a variation on the Robert Shaw, Dave Bautista type of 'brute enforcer', one of any nationality since there seems to be no accent Schoenaerts can't do.

Hypothetical Bond girl: Riley Keough as a deadbeat drug dealer who shares a past with Schoenaerts' villain.

Anton Corbijn

A Most Wanted Man showed that he could portray the ugly side of espionage in a suitably downbeat yet effortlessly compelling way, The American showed that he could portray a career killer's downbeat life in such an uniquely beautiful, slow-burning way. He's clearly got it in him to make a Bond film, as he's got the style and panache, and understanding of the cutthroat fictional spy world, to create something out of 007.

Hypothetical Bond villain: Jean Dujardin as a very overtly sleazy but amiable Frenchman who is not all he seems, with perhaps Dane DeHaan by his side as a silent, remorseless henchman.

Hypothetical Bond girl: Any one of The American ladies could have made a great Bond girl methinks, but I'll go for someone like Elizabeth Debicki as a chilly associate of Dujardin's who's seeking a way out of his depraved world, and manages to manipulate Bond.