Actor Daniel Craig may be riding a high as detective Benoit Blanc in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out franchise, but the star will always be known for his stint as James Bond. The actor played the role of Agent 007 in five films and said goodbye to the character in 2021’s No Time To Die.
Ever since Craig’s departure, speculations have been on which actor will be donning the suit. While rumors of a black or a female James Bond have been doing the rounds for a long time, there has been no confirmation. However, Bond actor Ben Whishaw wishes to see a member of the LGBTQ community play the role.
Who All Have Played James Bond?
Including actor Daniel Craig, seven actors have essayed the role of Agent 007 on film. The series based on the Ian Fleming novels began in 1962 with the film Dr. No. It starred Sean Connery as James Bond, who essayed the role in six more films, five of which were produced by Eon Productions. Dr. No established much of the visual style of the film series, including the iconic theme song and Bond’s appearance from the view of a gun barrel.
Roger Moore essayed the role in seven films by Eon Productions and is the only actor appearing in that many Bond films. He started in 1973’s Live and Let Die and retired from the role in 1985’s A View To A Kill. Moore’s depiction is considered to be one of the more campy versions of James Bond.
Timothy Dalton essayed the role in two Bond films, after which Pierce Brosnan stepped into the tuxedo. Brosnan played the role from 1995 to 2002, ending his run with the critically panned Die Another Day. After a brief hiatus, James Bond returned in the form of Daniel Craig, who made his debut as the character in the universally acclaimed Casino Royale.
Who Will Replace Daniel Craig As James Bond?
Daniel Craig’s James Bond redefined the character for a new generation. Stepping miles away from the extreme campiness of the films, Craig portrayed a more gritty and realistic Bond, with more edge. Casino Royale served as a much-needed boost to the franchise, and while its follow-up Quantum of Solace did not live up to its expectations, Sam Mendes’ Skyfall was a blockbuster upon release, earning over $1 billion at the global box office.
After reuniting with Mendes on Spectre, Craig announced that he would be leaving the franchise after the next film. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, No Time To Die was delayed due to the Covid-19 lockdown. It was finally released in 2021 and earned over $770 million at the box office. It also serves as a fitting farewell to Craig’s depiction of the MI6 agent.
After he announced his departure, speculations arose about who would replace Daniel Craig. Names such as Henry Cavill, Idris Elba, and Aaron Taylor Johnson made the rounds. However, during an interview with Attitude while promoting No Time To Die, actor Ben Whishaw, who plays Q in the series, expressed his desire to see a gay actor don the role of James Bond. He said,
“Of course, I would like to see that. I really believe that we should be working towards a world where anyone can play anything and it would be really thrilling if it didn’t matter about someone’s sexuality to take on a role like this…I think that would be real progress. But we’ll see, we’ll just see where we’re at. I’m amazed by how much has changed in the last five or six years, so we’ll see.”
The actor also mentioned names such as Luke Evans and Jonathan Bailey as his contenders for the role. While the ending of No Time To Die saw Lashana Lynch’s character Nomi adopt the 007 moniker. However, there have been no confirmations regarding the next iteration of the character.
Source: Attitude
