Denis Villeneuve, the Oscar-nominated director of Dune and Arrival, has been confirmed as the next James Bond filmmaker by Amazon MGM Studios. This announcement represents a bold creative change for the long-running British spy franchise.

Denis Villeneuve’s booking as the next James Bond director should come as no surprise to followers of the Dune director’s work — he has spoken about his desire to helm 007 for more than a decade. Villeneuve has peppered many an interview with “come and get me” pleas to Barbara Broccoli.

"I'm a die-hard Bond fan," Denis Villeneuve says. The Quebecois filmmaker's hiring comes as a relief to British 007 fans who had feared the worst when U.S. company Amazon MGM took control of Bond.