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Daniel Craig confirms he will play James Bond again Daniel Craig confirms he will play James Bond again
(about 4 hours later)
Daniel Craig has revealed the worst kept secret in the film world – he will play James Bond again. He once said he would rather take his own life than reprise his role as 007. But Daniel Craig may now be regretting his words, as he has confirmed he will, for one final time, play James Bond.
The actor made the announcement in the United States on Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show on Tuesday night. Speaking on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on US TV on Tuesday night, Craig finally put an end to the long-running saga of the will he/won’t he play the character for a fifth time.
On the show Craig was asked about the long saga of the will he/won’t he play the character for a fifth time.
“I have been quite cagey about it. I have been doing interviews all day and people have been asking me and I think I’ve been rather coy. But kind of felt like if I was going to speak the truth I should speak truth to you.”
Colbert then says: ‘We could use some good news here. Daniel Craig, will you return as James Bond?’
The actor then replies: “Yes.”
BREAKING NEWS: 🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨Daniel Craig, will you return as James Bond? - @StephenAtHomeYes - #DanielCraig #LSSC pic.twitter.com/FroXh2qsp4BREAKING NEWS: 🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨Daniel Craig, will you return as James Bond? - @StephenAtHomeYes - #DanielCraig #LSSC pic.twitter.com/FroXh2qsp4
The one word was met by ecstatic cheering in the studio audience. “I have been quite cagey about it. I have been doing interviews all day and people have been asking me and I think I’ve been rather coy. But kind of felt like if I was going to speak the truth I should speak truth to you.”
But Craig hinted that it would be his last outing as the famous fictional secret agent. Asked by Colbert directly whether he could deliver some “good news” about returning as Bond, Craig finally replied: “Yes”.
“I think this is it. I just want to go out on a high note and I can’t wait,” he said. He revealed he had known for a “couple of months”, adding: “We’ve been discussing it, we’ve just been trying to figure things out,” he said. “I always wanted to, I needed a break.”
Within the last few days he had said no deal had been struck over the next 007 instalment, which is due out in 2019. He told US radio station Magic that he would “love to do it” but was weighing up “personal decisions”. However, he was keen to reiterate it would indeed be his last outing as the lothario spy. “I think this is it. I just want to go out on a high note and I can’t wait,” he said.
Craig has so far appeared in four Bond films - Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre. It is not surprising news, as his return was first reported in July. However, Craig’s renewed enthusiasm for the role marks a U-turn from comments he made in 2015, after the release of Spectre.
The news was also met with some relief on Twitter.
Thank f*cking GAWD! Daniel Craig is coming back as BOND!Hurry the f*ck up!!! pic.twitter.com/tx8MqPhpnRThank f*cking GAWD! Daniel Craig is coming back as BOND!Hurry the f*ck up!!! pic.twitter.com/tx8MqPhpnR
The film garnered rave reviews but Craig, clearly grew frustrated with the promotional commitments that accompanied playing Bond, said he would rather “slit my wrists” than reprise the role.
“I’m over it at the moment. We’re done. All I want to do is move on,” he said, adding: “If I did another Bond movie, it would only be for the money.”
Indeed, it is the source of much speculation of how much the film studios will have promised Craig to tempt him back. He was paid a rumoured $65m (£48.66m) for 2015’s Spectre, and in 2016 it was reported he had been offered $150m to shoot two more Bond films, almost back to back.
Neither – should both happen – will be directed by Sam Mendes again, who, despite the critical and commercial success of Spectre and its predecessor, Skyfall, has ruled himself out of returning. Directors rumoured to be in the running include Christopher Nolan, behind Dunkirk and Inception.
Craig succeeded Pierce Brosnan as Bond and made his debut in Casino Royale in 2006. While initially seen as a divisive choice, he was soon praised for his darker, more brooding take on the martini-sipping spy, which proved a massive hit at the Box Office. Skyfall became the highest grossing film of all time when it was released in 2012.
Craig has not been solely negative about the impact playing Bond has had on his life, and said he did not worry about being typecast because the role had “changed my working life in an incredible way”.
DANIEL CRAIG CONFIRMED HES BACK AS BOND FOR 2 MORE MOVIES!!!! pic.twitter.com/IbxevPJLZdDANIEL CRAIG CONFIRMED HES BACK AS BOND FOR 2 MORE MOVIES!!!! pic.twitter.com/IbxevPJLZd
He added: “There are more opportunities. I could do many, many things. But it takes an awful amount of time. If anything, the restriction is that it is incredibly time-consuming. That’s the restriction.”
The producers are also rumoured to be determine to bring back Adele to record the theme tune, after her song written for Skyfall became the first 007 theme to win a Grammy and a Golden Globe award.
The next Bond film, the 25th in the series, is due out in November 2019.