Daniel Craig has given a hilariously brutal response to speculation about his James Bond replacement.
The 56-year-old had the longest continuous reign as the lead in the movie franchise based on the novels first released by Ian Fleming in 1953. The story was adapted for the big screen in 1962, with Sean Connery being the first to star as the protagonist in Dr No.
Craig starred in five films, starting with Casino Royale in 2006. He then played the famous spy in Quantum of Solace in 2008, Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015), and announced he would be retiring after appearing in No Time To Die in 2021.
Since then, a number of actors have been rumoured to replace him in the iconic role, including Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, and the rumoured favourite to replace him, Aaron-Taylor Johnson.
Craig was asked, “If you were to pass the James Bond torch, who would you love to see play him?”, in an interview with Variety.
He responded, “I don’t care.”
Taylor-Johnson, 33, was first rumoured for the role in January 2023 after it was reported that producer Barbara Broccoli had been left impressed by a screen test with the actor, whose credits include Kick-Ass, Bullet Train and Nowhere Boy.
Former Bond stars including James Pryce, Pierce Brosnan, and George Lazenby have all offered their support for the Nowhere Boy actor, saying they believe he could be the right candidate.
The actor is currently promoting his new movie Queer, from Challengers and Call Me By Your Name director, Luca Guadagnino.
The movie, which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, reportedly features some of the “most explicit gay sex scenes ever,” according to critics.
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Craig, who has filmed sex scenes with Sienna Miller, Lea Seydoux, Monica Bellucci, Eva Green and his real-life wife Rachel Weisz, adds that he’s “been in movies with terrible love scenes. It doesn’t work.”
“You need a director who has a sensitivity, a director who understands — to put it crassly — how to make it real. That’s one’s job on the day: to make it as real as possible.”