Daniel Craig is leaving the Bond franchise according to the Daily Mail, which is more of a gossip rag than anything else. The actor may have turned down a £68 million deal to star in the next two Bond films, which included endorsements, profit shares, and a role for him working as a co-producer. Their sources said that the actor was just getting too old and tired to pull the movies off.
“Daniel is done – pure and simple – he told top brass at MGM after Spectre. 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.”
Craig himself was previously quoted as saying he’d return for the right amount of money, which is why this whole report may just be crap. No one actually knows these things yet nor does a decision have to be made any time soon. The BBC has already refuted the claims made. It’s just too far away from the next film to have any idea of what’s going on and Craig has not made a decision they say.
Whatever your thoughts on Craig are (I loved him as Bond), you have to admit he re-energized a franchise that was feeling a little stale after Die Another Die. Casino Royale still stand as one of the best Bond films made and Skyfall is up there too. If anything Spectre was a good farewell with Craig’s Bond walking off into the sunset with his new love. If Craig leaves on this note it’ll make it much easier for the franchise to simply go back to ditching the last film’s continuity for each movie and turn back into single adventures.
