Call him anything but “Mr. Bond.”
According to insider sources in the film industry, Daniel Craig has turned down a £68-million (C$129-million) deal to reprise his role as the iconic James Bond in two upcoming movies. Craig says he’s “done” playing the suave British Secret Service agent.
Craig, 48, is reported to have earned a total of £38 million (C$72 million) for the four Bond films in he’s starred in: Spectre, Skyfall, Quantum of Solace and Casino Royale.
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“Daniel is done — pure and simple — he told top brass at MGM after Spectre,” a source said to multiple British publications. “They threw huge amounts of money at him, but it just wasn’t what he wanted.”
“He had told people after shooting that this would be his final outing, but the film company still felt he could come around after Spectre if he was offered a money deal.”
In his press appearances for 2015’s Spectre, Craig said he’d rather “slit his wrists” than return for another Bond film, despite being contracted for one more appearance as 007.
“We had an eight-month shoot and he was tired,” Bond producer Barbara Broccoli said regarding Craig’s coarse comments. “I think we all feel at the end of a movie that the thought of doing another one right away is always a little bit too much to contemplate. It’s like childbirth. You don’t ask a woman who’s just given birth, ‘Oh, when are you going to do it again?'”
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Craig later stated that he’ll keep going as long as he’s “physically able.” He injured his knee while shooting Spectre.
Possible rumoured replacements for Craig include British actors Tom Hiddleston and Idris Elba, but producers don’t want to speculate. Craig is their ultimate choice.
“Daniel Craig is our James Bond and until that’s no longer the case we’re not going to speculate,” said Broccoli. “We love him and we want to hang on to him. Let’s hope we can.”
With files from The Associated Press
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