Casino Royale director Martin Campbell to helm `36`, rules himself out of Bond 22

12-Jun-2007 • Bond News

Only last week director Martin Campbell was in negotiations to helm "Unstoppable" - ruling him out of any possible return to head up the 22nd James Bond film off the back of the hugely successful "Casino Royale". Now the Kiwi is in talks to direct another picture - a final nail in the coffin for the hopes some fans had of him returning to the franchise to direct Daniel Craig's second outing as 007.

Campbell is attached to direct "36," a remake of a 2004 French-language thriller - reports Reuters.

The Paramount Pictures project revolves around two detectives who try to solve a series of armored car robberies in the hopes of landing a promotion promised to whoever catches the perpetrators.

Robert De Niro, who is producing the project, had been attached to star. But sources said the script will be overhauled so that it focuses on two detectives in their 30s. The original film, "36 quai des orfevres," starred veteran actors Daniel Auteuil and Gerard Depardieu.

New Zealand-born Campbell directed last year's Bond movie "Casino Royale" as well as 1995's "GoldenEye." His credits also include "The Legend of Zorro" and "The Mask of Zorro." He is currently preparing the Fox thriller "Unstoppable."