Will it be fifth time’s the charm for Daniel Craig as James Bond? The answer might be yes! Callum McDougall, executive producer of the last four Bond films, said in a new interview that Craig is still the first choice to play the British spy for series producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
Asked if the English actor, 48, is going to return in the 25th official 007 adventure as the eponymous secret service agent, McDougall told BBC Radio 4 on Friday, September 30, “I wish I knew. We love Daniel. We would love Daniel to return as Bond. Without any question he is absolutely Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli’s first choice. I know they’re hoping for him to come back.”
While Craig is the producers No. 1 choice, the actor himself has been vocal about being over the action franchise. After the release of Spectre in October 2015, Craig told Time Out London of reprising his role again, “Now? I’d rather break this glass and slash my wrists. No, not at the moment. Not at all. That’s fine. I’m over it at the moment. We’re done. All I want to do is move on.”
Craig’s costar Naomie Harris — who played Moneypenny in the film — later told BBC News The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo star was “just being sarcastic” and that his “sense of humor … doesn’t come across particularly well in print.”
One month later on November 5, Craig clarified his comments to the Today show’s Matt Lauer and said he “had massive amounts of fun” making the film. But as for doing another 007 movie, “I don’t want to think about it. … Maybe I’ll make another one. I don’t know.”
Since then, Idris Elba, Tom Hiddleston and Jamie Bell have all been rumored to replace Craig, who first portrayed the slick spy in 2006’s Casino Royal (2006), and went on to reprise the role in Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015).
