Well, I’ve got it as confirmed as it can be: Sam Mendes is the definite director of Bond 24 and most likely Bond 25. He’s in, after exhaustive negotiations. Mendes obviously got what he wanted and will be a rich, rich man when his time with James Bond is over. The director of “American Beauty” did want to keep his theater career alive and will, even with the long planning for the Bond movies. But “Skyfall” was too much of a hit to let him go, and really no one else compared to him. Mendes and Daniel Craig will see “Bond” through to the end.