It’s not just the finality of the NTTD ending. Even if he survived, there’s the small issue that he’d retired and had a family.
The only way they’d be able to use him again in anything like a traditional Bond film would be to go with some ‘it was all just a dream’ hocum, or change the chronology and set the next one pre the events of Spectre.
Implausible as both of those sound, even less plausible to me is the idea that Craig would sign up for a 6th after he was handed such a momentous send-off in NTTD.
I’m looking forward to the new direction. No idea how they’ll top the quality of the last reboot, but good luck, we’re counting on them!
I know it’s been said before, but considering that finally EON made a stab at adapting, let’s say, the spirit of YOLT, the only regret is that if there was a time to adapt the “spirit” of TMWTGG, this would be it. A brain-addled Bond returning from the grave to assassinate his boss. DC v Fiennes etc etc. The opportunity to end this particular tenure with an edgy spy thriller (an inverted FRWL if you will) would be fine nod to the series’ roots.
DC has brought some three-dimensional emotional energy to the role - a first act (at least) of a confused, angry, almost-the-villain Bond, would be an energising challenge for this particular actor.
That said, I suspect for EON, killing the character might be easier than really taking some chances with who he is…
Indeed. I think it’s really the end of the line for Bond as the character we know from the original Fleming novels when that happens. Bond in the purest sense, from my point of view, has no attachments - only acquaintances. Having a family backs Bond into a corner as he can’t be a womanising loner without being seen as a deadbeat loser, especially in the modern context.
If NOTD would have ended differently, I would love to see him back. I think he is aging well and could have done at least more. But I think it would completely ruin the end of NOTD.
The only way I could possibly see Daniel Craig coming back would be if they ever decided to do an old James Bond (i.e., Bond in his late sixties or seventies) coming out of retirement and doing more a detective focused movie. Something akin to Mr. Holmes with Ian McKellen. It would be a one off and not even related to any Bond series (i.e., would not be Craig’s Bond). Doubt that will ever happen.
Another possibility would be if the Amazon deal goes through, I would welcome an animated series that focused on alternative realities of Bond. I am thinking something like Marvel’s “What if …?” Doubt they would get Craig to voice the character but we could have an episode of Craig Bond waking up on a beach…
Just some ideas. But Craig in the regular series of movies is done I’m afraid. It was a great run.
It occurred before whenever a beloved Bond actor said goodbye to the series. Only one more film, wouldn’t that be great?
Craig got that one more film with NTTD. And he made it very clear that this was the end of the line for him.
One of the greatest things about NTTD is the finality of its ending. The worst, absolute worst thing for the Bond films would be if that were tossed off. We´re not doing “Dallas” here, folks.
Let’s also not forget that Daniel was beginning to tire of the role. It was evident after Spectre. If he agreed to do one more I don’t think he’d put the energy or the effort into making a good film.
(See: Sean Connery, DAF/NSNA) (No, I won’t let it go)
Daniel, being an actor first and a movie star second just wants to move onto other roles and projects. He had his five. It’s time to move on.
Something like Pearson’s Authorised Biography of 007. Bond lounging around resorts, maintaining his tried and true routine of cold showers, breakfast and exercise while innately longing for action. But really, when you get down to it, NTTD gave us those bones already with the Jamaica content. One of the few differences would be Bond being even older. When Craig picks the phone to call Felix his fate is sealed. He could have chosen to remain in paradise, but didn’t.
I’m not diminishing the achievements of Craig’s era when I say NTTD already fits in this category for me. What if Bond died? How would he and others in his circle react to that moment? NTTD answers those questions in a way that feels authentic and true to the characters.
I’d only be up for it if they were going to adapt the beginning of Fleming’s TMWTGG. Could potentially be a good way to cleanse the palate after the last two films, assuming it was done right.
He was brilliant, but he got what no other Bond has ever had - an ending. I know some hate that Craig’s run is a self contained run with a beginning
Middle
And end
but that is a story, I love that BB and MGW gave a full story for Craig (Connery was the closest to having a designed ending but I’ll leave @MrKiddWint to explain why) the fact that some don’t get that is perplexing to me - did they not hear fairy tales as a child?
Again; I adored him in the role (I have a wet suit since I was 16 entirely because of a photo from Bond on Set - Filming Casino Royale) but he got a very satisfying ending that I don’t want cheapened - one I know meant more as a father. It’s not a debate.
I agree his tenure was unique in having a start and an end. I’m not sure he got much in the way of a middle. I’d have liked a couple of ‘Cuba sequence’ type films between QoS and SF. Hopefully Craig’s successor will get to enjoy some of this, showing 007 at his peak with no reference to being a rookie or being past it.
There is the statement I often see that Craig thought himself to be bigger than the character by choosing to end his tenure with Bond’s death. But the way I see things, depicting Bond’s first mission in the 21st film automatically put Craig at odds with the preceding five actors, despite the best efforts of people to make the timelines fit together. A lot of his era was about playing with the formula because the reboot gave them a free hit to do whatever they wanted. In Being Bond, Craig says he knows Bond will live on long after him, and there’s now a fresh start that has absolutely nothing to do with his incarnation. Selfish or selfless? It’s all a matter of perspective.
DAF had the advantage of EON knowing that Connery was going to make just this one film. It allowed them to be both looser with the plotting (no continuity worries), and also permitted a mild definitiveness to tinge the film’s conclusion.
The film imports from the novel, the Kidd/Wint cruise ship idea, rejiggers it, giving Connery Bond a sly send-off: Whyte offers to tell the captain to sail around in circles; M, Q, and MI6 are nowhere to be seen; and Bond looks content standing next to Tiffany, staring up at the stars, and dreaming. It is the counterpart of a soft opening–a soft closing: as definitive as possible without retirement, resignation, or death.
Lazenby abruptly quits EON.
Moore Bond stops because Sir Roger stops being Bond (though one could argue that he stopped being Bond prior to AVTAK). Also, Sir Roger never had an arc, just a gradual decline, so whatever film was his last easily served as the appropriate final Moore Bond. An approach carried over into…
