June 25 (Reuters) - Oscar-nominated Denis Villeneuve

will direct the next "James Bond" film, Amazon's ( AMZN ) MGM Studios

said on Wednesday, taking charge of one of Hollywood's most

enigmatic spies and longest-running movie series.

Villeneuve, the Canadian film director and writer, has

earned critical acclaim for films such as "Sicario," "Dune,"

"Dune: Part Two," "Blade Runner 2049," and "Arrival".

He was nominated for Best Director at the 2017 Oscars for

sci-fi film "Arrival", which starred Amy Adams and Jeremy

Renner, and for Best Adapted Screenplay for "Dune", based on

author Frank Herbert's highly acclaimed 1965 novel of the same

name, at the 2022 Oscars.

"I'm a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he's sacred territory. I

intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new

missions to come. This is a massive responsibility," Villeneuve

said in a statement.

The upcoming Bond movie will be the first under Amazon's ( AMZN ) MGM

Studios, which took creative control of the film franchise under

a new joint venture with longtime rights holders Michael Wilson

and Barbara Broccoli earlier this year.

The franchise is yet to name a new lead actor following

Daniel Craig's departure after "No Time to Die" in 2021, which

earned nearly $800 million in global box office collections.

Inspired by Ian Fleming's novels, the Bond franchise has

spanned over 60 years, grossing more than $7 billion at the

global box office, making it one of the most successful ever.

Producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman will produce the next

Bond movie.