Sam Mendes is coming back to the Bond franchise and we've got a Bond girl update that is making history. The billion dollar success of Skyfall was of course a team effort, but in large part due to director Sam Mendes, who brought back the 007 franchise in such a monumental way. And when rumors were spreading that Mendes was thinking about coming back to direct Bond 24, we all started holding our breath. Well, take a big sigh of relief, because Showbiz411 is confirming that he will in fact be back to direct Bond 24 and possibly Bond 25, as long as negotiations go as planned. But that's not all! There is another Bond update today, with Penelope Cruz in talks to join the cast. The mom to be is currently expecting her second child, with her husband and Skyfall baddie, Javier Bardem. And according to Yahoo Movies UK, she will be busy getting that baby weight off ASAP, because she will be starring as the new Bond Girl in Bond 24. And, get this, she will actually be the oldest bond girl ever to take on the role at 40 years old. She just took that title away from Honor Blackman who in 1962's Goldfinger was 39 when she appeared as Pussy Galore..