Words: Jonathan Wells
Who knew, back in 2005, when Daniel Craig’s controversial casting as the super spy prompted backlash and headlines of ‘James Blonde’, that we would be so upset by his eventual departure?
Yet, however unlikely as our anguish seemed at the time, when Craig was infamously quoted as saying he would rather ‘slash his wrists’ than get behind the wheel of a 007 Aston once more – during a press tour for the release of 2015’s Spectre, no less – fans were up in arms about the decision.
Worry not, Craig obsessives. Multiple sources have this week reported to multiple news outlets that, after a stint on stage offered by Bond backers the Broccoli family, Craig has been ‘persuaded’ to pick up his Walther PPK one last time and go out all guns blazing – for the landmark 25th Bond film.
In December, Craig starred in an off-Broadway production of Shakespeare’s Othello – a portrayal that gained him the acting credit he felt Bond could never bring his way. As a result, with any thespian thirst sufficiently quenched, those tailored suits and beautiful women beckon once more.
“Daniel was very pleased with how ‘Othello’ went and the great reviews,” says the quote from an unknown Hollywood source doing the rounds on various news networks. “Now Daniel’s talks with Barbara [Broccoli] are going in the right direction.
“They have a script — screenwriting duo Neal Purvis and Robert Wade are writing and they’ll go into production as soon as Daniel is ready to commit. Plus, Barbara Broccoli doesn’t like Tom Hiddleston, he’s a bit too smug and not tough enough to play James Bond.”
This stinging addendum also seems to put favourite Hiddleston out of the running to become the next Bond. But, with Craig’s alleged U-turn, his successor’s identity is a discussion we won’t have to have just yet.
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