Former James Bond star Daniel Craig has offered his thoughts on Amazon taking full creative control of the long-running franchise. The actor gave a statement to Variety, where he praised former 007 producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli and wished them luck in their future endeavors. Craig expressed hope for future collaborations with Broccoli, who will be pursuing other producing opportunities now that she is no longer involved with James Bond. Wilson is retiring from filmmaking altogether, a development Craig feels is “well deserved.”
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“My respect, admiration and love for Barbara and Michael remain constant and undiminished,” Craig’s statement reads. “I wish Michael a long, relaxing (and well deserved) retirement and whatever ventures Barbara goes on to do, I know they will be spectacular and I hope I can be part of them.”
Wilson, Broccoli, Amazon, and MGM recently announced a joint venture to share ownership rights of the James Bond franchise, with Amazon assuming full control over the property. Previously, Wilson and Broccoli had final say on creative decisions. There had been reports implying Wilson and Broccoli were at odds with Amazon regarding the franchise’s future, which had caused development on Bond 26 to stall. The next Bond movie is still a ways away, with reports indicating production won’t start until at least next year.
Craig, of course, portrayed James Bond for five movies, making his debut in 2006’s Casino Royale. His tenure ended with 2021’s No Time to Die, which earned positive reviews and $774.1 million at the worldwide box office. In between, Craig starred in Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre. Skyfall, released in 2012, is the highest-grossing Bond film of all time.
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Craig may not care who follows his footsteps as James Bond, but it’s nice to see him share these kind words as the franchise enters an era of transition. Playing Bond was a career-defining moment for the actor, and he obviously has a long, extensive history with Wilson and Broccoli. There were times when Craig seemingly had a contentious relationship with the franchise (after making Spectre, he said he’d rather “slash his wrists” than make another Bond film), but it’s clear he looks back at his tenure as 007 fondly and appreciates the relationships he built with Wilson and Broccoli. It’ll be interesting to see if Broccoli finds a spot for Craig in whatever her next film is.
While fans will still have to wait a bit for Bond 26, it’s reasonable to expect the project will move along quickly now that Amazon is in charge. The company acquired MGM in part to gain the James Bond rights, and it won’t let the franchise sit on a shelf for an extended period of time. Feelings about this creative shakeup are mixed, as some fans are concerned Amazon will oversaturate the marketplace with spin-off TV shows and other projects. It’ll be fascinating to see how the studio will handle the Bond franchise moving forward. Following Craig’s successful run as 007, hopefully the next actor has an equally fruitful experience and enjoys his time in the franchise.
