The James Bond franchise is grieving the loss of one of its most celebrated filmmakers.
The director behind Die Another Day and one of New Zealand’s greatest storytellers, has died aged 75 after a battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
Lee Tamahori’s family confirmed his passing and paid emotional tribute to his extraordinary life behind the camera.
They said his work will live forever through the filmmakers he inspired and the barriers he broke.
“His legacy endures with every filmmaker he inspired, every boundary he broke, and every story he told with his genius eye and honest heart,” the family said, per the Guardian.
They remembered him as “a charismatic leader and fierce creative spirit” who championed talent on and off screen, and who ultimately returned home to tell stories “grounded in identity.”
A Career That Spanned Hollywood and Aotearoa
Tamahori’s impact on cinema is impossible to overstate.
His breakout hit Once Were Warriors stunned audiences in 1994 with its raw, unflinching portrayal of a Māori family. It became New Zealand’s highest-grossing film and launched him into Hollywood.
He went on to direct Mulholland Falls, The Edge with Anthony Hopkins, and Along Came a Spider starring Morgan Freeman.
In 2002, he took on the biggest job of his career: directing Die Another Day.
It was Pierce Brosnan’s final outing as 007 and featured Halle Berry’s now-iconic orange bikini scene. The film drew mixed reviews but was a box-office hit, cementing Tamahori’s place in Bond history.
Although he spent years making major studio films, he later returned to New Zealand. His films Mahana and The Convert brought him back to Māori storytelling, completing a full-circle journey through his heritage and career.
Tamahori passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by loved ones.
As his family put it, “We’ve lost an immense creative spirit.”
Who Will Be the Next James Bond?
Tamahori’s death comes as speculation around the next Bond reaches fever pitch.
Daniel Craig bowed out in 2021 after No Time to Die, and fans have been desperate to know who will take on the iconic role.
Names repeatedly floated include Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Regé-Jean Page, Henry Cavill and Idris Elba.
Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, however, remain silent as ever.
The decision is bigger than casting alone. The next actor will define Bond for an entirely new generation — a legacy Tamahori helped shape with his bold, high-octane instalment.
When Is the Next Bond Film Coming Out?
There is still no release date for the twenty-sixth James Bond movie.
Producers have made clear they’re in no rush. After Craig’s emotional exit, they want to fully rethink the direction of the franchise.
The future of 007 depends on a careful reinvention — one that honours Bond’s past, while pushing the character into new territory.
For now, fans will have to wait, and Hollywood continues to mourn the man who once helped drive the franchise forward.
Featured image credit: MGM
