It has been exactly 12 years when Daniel Craig was announced has the 6th James Bond on October 14, 2005. And he will definitely beat Roger Moore’s record as the longest serving Bond! Bond 25 will most likely be released around November 2019
Today is also (the late) Roger Moore’s birthday, he would’ve been 90 years old today if he was still alive.
Problem is, these longevity “records” totally depend on the turnaround times between films, especially when there are long delays due to studio business and politics. Roger did seven films in the time Craig’s done four. I’m afraid this doesn’t seem like an important number to me.
Agreed. I would only rate any actor´s tenure on having made the most films. If Craig were not considered as the only actor who can do Bond right now he would have been axed already, due to his almost Lazenby-like reluctance to do more films.
Yup, that was harsh and provocative.
Yep. Roger’s seven film run has more significance.
Number of films is a far more significant achievement than time in the role. By the same logic Sylvester McCoy was the longest serving Doctor on Doctor Who as there was nine years between his introduction and his regeneration. But since the series wasn’t on TV between '89 and '96 it’s always Tom Baker who gets credited as longest serving Doctor as he was in the role continuously for seven years.
I can’t see anyone beating Moore’s seven any time soon. Then again, no one should aspire to. I feel Moore did too many should have retired after FYEO and any future actor will one day age out of the role, especially with today’s slower production cycle.
More akin to McGann and his 1 story then wasn’t officially replaced for 9 years (or 17 if you want to count when he actually filmed his ending), but yeah, I’d agree, it is just a technicality.
Or like Dalton, who “was Bond” for 7 years, but most of them saw no films released.
One thing’s certain, Roger will keep the record for “oldest when hired.” At the relaxed pace the new EON is releasing entries, they may need to cast a teenager next time.
And it seems highly improbable that any future actor will do more films than Sir Roger.
Which makes it such a shame regarding Craig. Had EON stuck to the two year schedule (yes, I recognize it wasn’t always their fault), Craig’s seventh Bond film would begin filming this December.
Ah what could have been if MGM weren’t dying a slow death.
As Indiana Jones once said “It’s not the years, honey, it’s the mileage.”
Roger’s seven film record will always be the benchmark and going by EON’s current output will probably never be broken.
I don’t think it will be, either. It took Connery to come out of retirement to film NSNA to equal the record - and even then it’s not officially recognised by the franchise.
Indeed with all of this. Roger holds the title in my book for all of the above reasons. Bond is more about consistency and contribution than dates. The first time I met Lazenby and spent some time with him over a few drinks, he was cordial and honestly said that if he had put his young bravado aside and played the game, he’d have done Bond into the 80’s. Sure, woulda, coulda, shoulda, but if Peter Hunt could have done DAF or maybe Cubby had gotten Terence Young to come back and told him “Do what you did with Sean for the new kid” things could have been different for the role.
Craig has had an impressive and unique run, but holding the title just based on dates doesn’t work for me but I am happy he’s potentially going to conclude his Bond and story arc on a high note.
Right now what I would like from Craig’s tenure would be a back to basics, 007 on a mission movie without the this time is personal angle. I’ll leave records for the olympics.
Lazenby still looked suitable in his fleeting cameo in Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E. Had he accepted the seven film contract that Cubby and Harry offered him, that would be the same year as his last film.
“Daniel Craig has broken the record!”
In the USA, we have something called… *
That’s right, the asterisk.
In this case, as with baseball (*61), it means, “with consideration of other metrics.”
Ergo, Craig*
The real measure is this:
Sean Connery & Roger Moore: 7x
Pierce Brosnan & Daniel Craig: 4x
Timothy Dalton: 2x
George Lazenby: 1x
I’m kind of hoping the next Bond actor only makes three films so we’ll have:
Moore: 7
Connery: 6
Craig: 5
Brosnan: 4
New Bond: 3
Dalton: 2
Lazenby: 1
Really? I’m actually hoping the next actor will be enthusiastic to be Bond and do at least 5 in one decade.
I would be ecstatic if they were able to make five films in the next decade, my numerical theories be damned.