Rumour: Devil May Care to be the new Bond film?

Only last week, it was announced that Sam Mendes was to once again direct a Bond film for producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.

But we may now know what it was that tempted him back to the franchise.

According to reports, the next Bond film could be based on 'Devil May Care', the Bond novel that was written by Sebastian Faulks in 2008.

[Sam Mendes directing the new Bond film]

The book was penned by Faulks to commemorate 100 years since the birth of original Bond author, Ian Fleming, and was 'written in the style' of the author rather than being a novel by Faulks in Faulks's own voice.

The book was generally received well by critics, with some calling it 'vintage Bond', while it sold over 44,000 copies in just four days, ranking it only second to the 'Harry Potter' books in terms of the fastest sales.

But who might this mean that Daniel Craig will be facing off against?

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'Devil May Care' centres on Bond's mission to investigate Dr Julius Gorner, a chemist working in Iran with a hatred of England.

These are just rumours at this stage, with no word yet from Bond producers Eon Productions, but it would be a return to using novels as the basis for a new Bond film.

British writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade have been responsible for writing much of the Bond material since 'The World Is Not Enough', right up to 'Skyfall', which they penned with US writer John Logan.

Logan, who has written films including 'Hugo' and 'The Aviator' for Martin Scorsese, was confirmed as being the solo writer on 'Bond 24' earlier this month, while Purvis and Wade announced that they had called time on their Bond collaboration last year.

Whether Logan's quarry will be 'Devil May Care' remains to be seen.