Sam Mendes

Yes, you’ve heard it before, but Sam Mendes really means it this time. Even though he said Skyfall was his last James Bond film, and even though he directed Spectre anyway, and even though he already said Spectre would be his final outing with 007, this time he means business. Mendes is officially done with James Bond, and it’s hard not to believe that he’s for-really-real about it considering the rampant rumors (with supporting evidence) of Daniel Craig’s exit.

Spectre is amusing and stylish, but just barely. And its fixation on validating Bond’s worth in 2015 through a Snowden-esque subplot about a worldwide security network feels particularly inappropriate given the fact that so much of the movie is spent looking to Bond’s past, rather than his present or future.

Director interviews are often quite interesting, but as it turns out, it takes a director to really get his (or her) fellow directors to open up. Spectre director Sam Mendes chatted with Steven Spielberg, David Fincher, Edgar Wright and more of your favorites, asking some of the best questions — and getting some of the most revealing and delightful answers.

Is Christoph Waltz playing classic Bond villain Blofeld? Director Sam Mendes has been pretty coy about it, but all signs seem to indicate “yes.” The latest TV spot for Spectre introduces Daniel Craig’s James Bond to the shadowy organization led by Waltz’s enigmatic villain, and throws in a few extra explosions and chase sequences for good measure.

Sony debuted the final trailer for Spectre on Thursday, which features a handful of footage from the previous trailers, but includes some new action sequences and a better look at Christoph Waltz outside of the shadows.

Almost as soon as Oscar-winning actor Christoph Waltz was attached to star in Spectre, the rumors began that he would be playing legendary James Bond villain Ernst Blofeld. Yet, when the cast was officially announced (via a press conference in London), Waltz was announced as playing “Franz Oberhauser”. In the time since, 007 fans have debated whether this is all an elaborate ruse (not unlike the Benedict Cumberbatch / John Harrison / Khan Star Trek Into Darkness debacle), or whether Waltz really and truly is not playing Blofeld. Now, Spectre director Sam Mendes has finally chimed in to try and clear things up.

James Bond has always been more of a figure than a character, sliding through the decades as constantly fluctuating collection of what society enjoys at any particular time. 007’s evolution into something more complex and human in the Daniel Craig era is also a reflection of the times. This is what we want out of an action hero in 2015. Now, Spectre looks to take this route to its natural conclusion. According to director Sam Mendes, his film will answer one of the great unanswered questions in cinema: Where did James Bond come from?

Casino Royale may have stripped James Bond down to the bone, but the ensuing Daniel Craig entries in the immortal series have been slowly sliding all of the old tropes back into the series. In addition to resurrecting 007’s oldest nemesis, Spectre looks to bring back the “Bond woman” in a big way...

Daniel Craig’s James Bond doesn’t know what the word “spectre” means. But James Bond fans do.

After directing both Skyfall and Spectre back to back, Sam Mendes appears to be done with the James Bond franchise. That may come as a disappointment to 007 fans who were thrilled with Mendes’ work on Skyfall and are highly anticipating Spectre — judging by the trailers, we’re in for another great Bond outing.