This Oscar-winning director is rumored to be attached to new James Bond film

The 007 franchise has gone through ebbs and flows over the years. It's to be expected for a collection of films that date back to the 1960s. Especially when the direction established by a particular James Bond actor gets stale.

Roger Moore's light tone gave way to the overt goofiness of the 80s Bond films. Pierce Brosnan's tenure ended on a bum note due to an over-reliance on CG and silly gimmicks. Then there's Daniel Craig, who took things in such a grim and grounded direction that his last outing as Bond resulted in the character's death.

McQueen's next film is set to be an MGM release

It's obvious the Craig era is over, and so James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson need to go back to the drawing board (again) and present a new version of the MI6 agent to the world. The most recent rumor suggests that they are attempting to do so by pursuing one of the most acclaimed directors on the planet: Steve McQueen.

McQueen was touted as a monumental talent from the moment he released his debut film, Hunger, in 2008. All his subsequent releases have been acclaimed, and he even took home the Academy Award for Best Picture for his sobering historical drama 12 Years a Slave in 2014.

The Sun alleges that McQueen is being circled to direct the next installment in the Bond franchise. There hasn't been any confirmation on the part of the producers or McQueen, but the director has already stated that his next film will be released through Amazon/MGM, which is the studio that also owns the rights to 007.

The director's new film is his first in six years

McQueen is in the midst of promoting his first new film in six years, Blitz, so there is certainly a sense of renewed interest in his career. Had 007 rumors surfaced during his hiatus, they would have been a bit less believable.

It's important to note that several notable directors have been rumored to helm a Bond film over the years, but never have. It would be thrilling to see a director of McQueen's caliber take on a massive blockbuster, given that his 2018 release Widows proved his adeptness at action, but we won't know anything for sure until production gets rolling.