There were a lot of people that figured that we’d seen the last of Daniel Craig as James Bond after 2015’s movie Spectre, especially since Craig didn’t appear to want to come back again and take up the role. But after a lot of self-reflection and some gained perspective, and a hearty apology for saying that he’d rather slit his wrists than come back, he did manage to change his mind. The reason behind this was kind of simple, he didn’t feel like he’d left things in a finished state and he wanted to make sure that there were no regrets or excuses upon leaving for the final time. It’s very easy to understand that since a lot of us want to do something right, make the right exit, and leave a lasting mark upon completion of the project we’ve started. In a big way this is something to admire Craig for since he could have walked away and just kept walking. But if you want to hear it in his words Kevin Burwick of MovieWeb gives a pretty good accounting:
“If that had been it, the world would have carried on as normal, and I would have been absolutely fine. But somehow it felt like we needed to finish something off. If I’d left it at Spectre, something at the back of my head would have been going, ‘I wish I’d done one more.’ I always had a kind of secret idea about the whole lot in my head, and where I wanted to take it. And Spectre wasn’t that. But this feels like it is.”
Given that this will be his fifth go at being Bond it does feel as though it might be time for Craig to finally step away after this one and it sounds as though he’s done something that will leave a lasting impression on people and on himself after all is said and done. The mark of a good actor, at least one among many, is that they don’t want to leave a project unfinished and will give it their all to make sure that whatever they accomplish in the name of a franchise will be done, over with, and the best it could possibly be when the dust settles. It would appear that Craig believes that No Time to Die is that moment and after this he can ride off into the sunset and be satisfied that he’s done something great. A lot of fans might feel the same way, but some of them might want him back again since he’s done such a great job over the years. Others might feel the need to differ but really, the discussion and subsequent argument over who played the better Bond is something that I’m not willing to get into at the moment since it’s usually a giant cluster that’s not worth the effort.
Some of us were around when Connery started the whole mess, when Moore came in, Lazenby, Dalton, Niven, Brosnan, and then Craig finally took over. People have clung to their favorites and continued to hold on to the idea that the person they chose will always be the best while others have conceded that those that came after had their own strengths and were able to take on the mantle without too much trouble. As of now though the hunt for the next Bond is definitely on and Idris Elba is one among many that people are looking at largely because he is a big-name actor and someone that could likely play the part without too much difficulty. He’s already a suave, smooth-talking character that’s been seen in many a movie and TV show and can adjust his act and attitude accordingly so as to make sure that he fits into whatever setting he’s being put into. That kind of actor would be perfect for a Bond role since he would bring a good deal of needed class and sophistication to the part that others might not be able to replicate fully. There are also rumors of people wanting a female Bond character, which might be interesting if the right woman could be found that has the desired attributes and could possibly act the part. Holly Thomas of CNN has her own take on this subject. Just like a man, a woman would need to bring that attitude to the role in a way that would keep the fans interested, since without the fans’ support Bond doesn’t have much use on the big screen.
No Time to Die doesn’t hit theaters until this coming year so there’s still plenty of time to ponder just what might become of Bond and who will take over the mantle, hopefully not the number, once all is said and done. It won’t be the end of a saga, but it will certainly be a switch once Daniel Craig is well and gone.
Follow Us
