No Time To Die saw Bond fans bidding farewell to Daniel Craig‘s 007 after an unfortunate incident left the MI6 agent stranded on an island targeted by a missile launch intended to vanquish the land and its facilities. Afterward, it became known that there was no possibility for Craig to return to the franchise and that he was moving on to bigger and better projects.
Deadline caught up with James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson regarding the theatrical future of the franchise without Daniel Craig spearheading the popular spy-thriller films. When asked to discuss Bond reaching his “ultimate ending” and sharing details on “how that came about,” Broccoli made a statement that recalls a conversation she had with Daniel Craig years before No Time To Die was even conceived.
Broccoli shares that Craig had wanted to end his run as Bond as early as Casino Royale in 2006. He asked, “What about if I die at the end?” but the producers weren’t through with him yet. So when Craig posed the question to Broccoli, he asked, “How many of these pictures have I got to do?”
Broccoli admits that she stupidly agreed to four feature films with Craig starring as James Bond; she reflects on that decision, stating that she should have demanded more from Daniel Craig, especially as the audiences loved him. “I should’ve said nine or ten. I should’ve lied. But, I said four, which is what the deal was at the time.“
Given the positive reviews for No Time To Die, it seems that worldwide audiences weren’t through with Craig’s Bond either, and his loss was devastating to James Bond fans everywhere. To continue the legacy, there have been talks of future female directors, potential spin-offs, and several talks surrounding Idris Elba becoming the very first person of color to don the tuxedo and take on the role of 007.
James Bond turns 60 years old this year, and to celebrate the long-standing success, No Time to Die returns to IMAX cinemas this Friday, Jan 21.