Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

File photo of British actor Daniel Craig (L) and British Academy Award-winning director Sam Mendes
(AFP/Leon Neal)

LONDON: The next James Bond film will be released in late 2015, producers announced Thursday, with Daniel Craig reprising his role as the suave British spy and Sam Mendes returning as director after dramatically reversing his decision to quit.

A few teasing details of the unnamed 24th official Bond adventure were announced in a picture posted on Agent 007's official Twitter feed, emblazoned with the words "BOND 24" in large letters.

"Daniel Craig is 007, Sam Mendes back as director," the tweet said, adding that the film would be released in Britain on October 23, 2015, and in the United States two weeks later.

The screenplay will be written by John Logan, who penned the last Bond film "Skyfall", as well as other hit movies including "Gladiator" and "The Last Samurai".

Mendes, 47, directed "Skyfall", which became Britain's highest-grossing film ever and took more than US$1 billion at box offices worldwide when it was released in 2012.

The Oscar-winning British director said in March that he had turned down the chance to direct the next Bond film in order to concentrate on his theatre work, but confirmed on Thursday that he had changed his mind.

"I am very pleased that by giving me the time I need to honour all my theatre commitments, the producers have made it possible for me to direct Bond 24," he said in a statement published on the official Bond website.

"I very much look forward to taking up the reins again, and to working with Daniel Craig (and producers) Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for a second time," he added.

Mendes, who won an Oscar in 2000 for directing "American Beauty", is currently working on a new musical theatre version of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" that opened in London last month.

He will direct a production of William Shakespeare's "King Lear" at the National Theatre in London from January 2014.