Amid the confusion over the next James Bond film following the sudden exit of Danny Boyle as director, reports have surfaced that the longtime writers of the series, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, have been tapped to produce a new script.

According to the Daily Mail, the two 007 scriptwriters have been rehired to pen the forthcoming Bond 25. Their original treatment for the film was set aside when producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson opted to go with Boyle and a script by him and his regular writing collaborator, John Hodge.

The producers are now hoping Purvis and Wade can work their magic having already written the script for six previous Bond movies, including Die Another Day, Skyfall and Spectre.

An unnamed source is quoted in the Mail as saying Purvis and Wade’s outline had been accepted before Boyle and Hodge came into the picture; they have now been given the go-ahead to complete a full script.

It is not clear what the “creative differences” were that led Boyle to leave Bond 25. It has been learnt that Broccoli has been in Los Angeles meeting a variety of film-makers who might take over directing duties.