Daniel Craig finally confirms that Bond 25 as his next movie. The actor made his debut as 007 in Martin Campbell’s Casino Royale in 2006, and he reprised his role in three sequels - the last one being Sam Mendes’ Spectre in 2015. Although the movie was a sequel to the most successful installment in the entire James Bond franchise, it wasn’t as well-received nor as commercially successful. So, the producers behind the series are looking to get back on track.
To do that, several things are changing behind the scenes regarding Craig’s presumably final Bond film. So far, screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade have written the scripts for each James Bond film since The World is Not Enough, and they are expected to write the script for Bond 25 as well. However, it has also been reported that Trainspotting scribe John Hodge is writing a separate Bond 25 screenplay that may be used for Danny Boyle to direct, which he could do this year if the script is approved. Unfortunately, there has been some uncertainty regarding Craig’s return as 007. After Spectre released, he seemed hesitant to jump back into the role, even saying that there hadn’t been a decision yet as of last fall. But it seems everything has been settled and he’s now set to return as Bond.
Daniel Craig attended a recent auction in which he sold his personal 2014 Aston Martin. And speaking with Associated Press at the event, Craig confirmed that Bond 25 is indeed his next movie, saying, “Yeah,” when asked if that’s his next project. Then, when asked about Danny Boyle’s involvement as director, Craig smiled and said, “We’ll see, we’ll see.”
Although it was somewhat obvious that Daniel Craig would return for Bond 25, the fact that he and the producers have been cagey about expressly confirming his return so far put some doubts in fans’ minds. But it seems that was all for naught as Craig is now definitely returning for the next James Bond film. And while it’s great that the next installment has its star, the questions still remain about who will be writing and directing the sequel?
Shortly after news broke about Danny Boyle potentially directing Bond 25, the filmmaker confirmed that he’s currently working on a Bond script with John Hodge - Boyle said that he had an idea and Hodge is trying to put that idea down on paper - but that he first had another project with About Time scribe Richard Curtis in the works that he needed to focus on. If Boyle and Hodge’s idea doesn’t please the producers, then there’s Purvis and Wade’s script, which will need to be picked up by another filmmaker to bring to life on the big screen.
Aside from the cast and crew, there’s also the question of which studio is going to distribute the film. Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures’ contract with MGM and EON Productions expired with Spectre, and the production studios are now only offering a one-film contract for whichever distributor picks up the Bond 25 rights. What’s interesting is that, since MGM fired its CEO, reports suggest that MGM could go up for sale, and whichever studio acquires them could potentially obtain the James Bond production rights. Again, the franchise’s future is a bit unclear, but for now, fans can rest assured knowing Daniel Craig is going to film Bond 25 soon…ish.
More: James Bond Desperately Needs New Writers
Source: Associated Press
- Bond 25 Release Date: 2021-10-08
