James Bond: What we know so far about the next 007 film

The movie will be directed by Denis Villeneuve, known for Prisoners, Sicario, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049 and the recent Dune trilogy starring Timothée Chalamet.

"Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007," the French-Canadian director said last year. "I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery. I'm a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he's sacred territory."

He added: "I intend to honour the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honour."

Bond 26 will be written by Steven Knight, known for TV series such as Peaky Blinders and House of Guinness, and films including Burnt, Spencer, Locke and The Girl in the Spider's Web.

Knight has said it had always been on his "bucket list" to write a Bond film, adding that he felt he was "doing my duty for King and country" by joining the franchise.

He told the BBC he planned to "write the character, not the actor", adding: "The thing with Bond is it's its own universe and franchise. So there are certain rules.

"Obviously you have to move it along, but I love where it sits. I love that it's British. I love that it's not DC or Marvel... So I feel a responsibility to the text."

With the change in ownership and a new creative team now in place, the new Bond film is likely to make a fresh start.

It would be difficult to continue the story chronologically given the ending of 2021's No Time To Die, but that still leaves producers with plenty of options.

A different version of James Bond, who exists in a different universe, would be easily pulled off in an era where audiences are used to major film franchises restarting in a different world or timeline.

Bond 26 could even be set in a significantly earlier era - an idea that gained more popularity after Tony Gilroy revealed he and fellow director Steven Soderbergh previously pitched a 1960s version, external of Bond.

Separately, actor Ralph Fiennes recently said, external he had once been in talks to play Bond, and had suggested producers make a "black and white and very sort of film noir-y" version set in the 1950s.

Neither idea materialised, but the suggestion went down well with some Bond fans, who noted a period piece would help make the film truer to Fleming's original character and books.

Exactly what shape the next film takes will become clear at a later stage. For now, fans are hoping that Christmas could be about to come early this year, as the world awaits the imminent announcement of the next actor to play 007.