Actor Daniel Craig played the role of James Bond for 16 years (2005-21), making him second only to Sean Connery for the longest time portraying 007. For many, particularly newer fans of the franchise, he might as well be synonymous with the character, as he’s all they know. Craig decided that No Time to Die (2021) would be his last time in the role, and he appeared to hint at who the next actor to portray the legendary literary and film character could be at the 2024 Governors Ball.
Taking on the role
It was 2005 when Daniel Craig was approached by Eon Productions to take on the role of James Bond. This was following Pierce Brosnan‘s departure from the franchise, after he starred in 2002’s Die Another Day. Surprisingly, Craig was extremely hesitant; he was concerned about both becoming a household name and trying to emulate the acting style of those who’d taken on the role before him.
After some convincing from friends, family and the producers, he finally agreed to do Casino Royale (2006), which would be the first of many films. Craig wasn’t the only one with hesitations, however. When it was announced he’d play Bond, the public was openly concerned that he simply didn’t fit the image that had been curated. Nonetheless, he proved his worth when the film came out, earning much praise for his acting.
Years in the making
What the public didn’t know, however, was that, even back in 2006, Daniel Craig was preparing for his departure from the role after only just getting it. In an interview with the UK Times after leaving his role as James Bond in 2021, the actor explained he made an agreement with producer Barbara Broccoli after the incredible success of the Berlin premiere of Casino Royale.
He recalled, “I had genuinely thought I would do one Bond movie, then it would be over. But by then we knew we had a hit on our hands. I realised the enormity of it, so I said to Barbara, ‘How many more? Three? Four?’ She said, ‘Four!’ I said, ‘OK. Then can I kill him off?’ She said, ‘Yes.'”
As it turns out, Broccoli honored her statement. The two of them worked out how to make this happen, despite a lot of pushback from MGM.
Going out with a bang
Once No Time to Die was underway, Daniel Craig simply felt “this is it. I don’t want to do any more.” However, it was important to him that his iteration of James Bond went out in the right way.
“We had to find a way to make his death no choice. It was the happiest Bond had ever been because he’d found exactly what he was looking for. Like everyone on Earth, he was just looking for love,” the actor recalled. He’d tasked the creation of an ending that would show his character’s humanity to Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Craig’s decision wasn’t only something that made him happy and allowed him to move his acting career in a different direction, but it also meant the James Bond franchise could do so as well. He stated, “If we kill Bond, we can begin again.” Although there was initially a lot of pushback to this, he had Barbara Broccoli in his corner.
The next James Bond ‘might be in the room’
Ever since Daniel Craig announced his departure from the James Bond franchise, speculation has run rampant as to who could possibly play the character next. Little had been said regarding the next series of films, and Craig had kept mum on who’d been picked to replace him – that is, until the 2024 Governors Ball.
It appears the actor may have dropped a tiny (or big) hint while attending the Oscars after party. While introducing Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, who were being honored with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, Craig joked, “If you came here this evening to find out who the next James Bond is, don’t look at me, but he might be in the room. I’m just joking.
“Maybe I’m not,” he added.
Broccoli and Wilson had discussed the process of finding a new Bond prior to accepting the award, telling the media that it’s “a big decision.”
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Among those speculated to be in the running to play the next James Bond are Paul Mescal, Andrew Garfield, Tom Hardy, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James and Henry Cavill, and many of them were in attendance – who knows, maybe Craig wasn’t joking!