It’s been rumored Since Skyfall’s 2012 release that he would probably only do one more film, and then say goodbye to the iconic character. And now, an anonymous source is telling the UK’s Daily Mail that Craig has made his mind up.
“Daniel is done – pure and simple – he told the top brass at MGM after Spectre,” the source says. “They threw huge amounts of money at him, but it just wasn’t what he wanted. He had told people during shooting that this would be his final outing, but the film company still felt he would come around after Spectre if he was offered enough money.”
Craig has played the suave British spy since 2006, starring in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre. The four films have a combined gross of over $2 billion, helping keep the otherwise struggling MGM Studios afloat. They did their best to keep him happy, even delaying the next Bond film so he could work on other projects. However, he reportedly sustained a serious knee injury while filming Spectre, and also told friends that he was just generally exhausted with the character. Reports are also saying that the actor turned down $99 million to return.
So it now looks like MGM’s next step will be finding someone to fill the massive metaphorical shoes of the character who has become a British institution. Starting with 1962’s Dr. No, starring Sean Connery, author Ian Fleming’s superspy has gone on to star in 24 films, being portrayed by Connery, Roger Moore, George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Craig.
Who should be next in line? Ask a dozen fans, and you’ll probably get a dozen different answers. At the moment, the frontrunners appear to be Henry Cavill (who was narrowly edged out by Craig for the role in ’06), Idris Elba, and Tom Hiddleston. Other fan suggestions include Michael Fassbender, Karl Urban, and Tom Hardy.
Which actor would you like to see take over the role? Comment with your suggestions!