Sam Mendes

Though “Skyfall” was the most successful James Bond movie in the franchise’s history, director Sam Mendes won’t be on board for the next in th...

It would be a shame if part of "restoring the Bond template," as Skyfall so clearly wants to do, means undoing much of the franchise's successes in terms of its often progressive female leads.

It's been a busy, full life for the world's most famous secret agent -- which begs the question of why, as currently embodied by Daniel Craig in the latest film, the character suddenly seems so fresh and relevant to the world of today.

When it comes to moviemaking, Sam Mendes has certainly been around the block. However, as the Oscar-winning director conceded: Making a James Bond mov...