The producers of the James Bond series have confirmed that a replacement for Daniel Craig has not yet been found. In a new interview, Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli makes it clear that they’re waiting for Craig’s tenure to end, before looking for the next 007: “I always say: you can only be in love with one person at a time,” Broccoli tells Total Film. “Once the film’s come out, then some time will pass, and then we’ll have to get on to the business of the future. But for now, we just cannot think about anything beyond Daniel.”
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On the one hand, this is a boilerplate response from a Hollywood producer. Studios always claim to be focused on the present when they have a new film about to hit theaters (see also: Marvel). And yet, as soon as said film is done its run in theaters, the next wave of hype and promotion for future projects is set to roll in. So, while Barbara Broccoli is showing all the proper love and respect for Daniel Craig and his upcoming final performance as Bond in No Time to Die, it would be naive to believe that the powers-that-be behind the franchise aren’t looking ahead toward the future.
In fact, the future of James Bond has been a major discussion point before No Time to Die ever took shape, and Daniel Craig’s return was confirmed. Aside from popular fan-castings like Tom Hiddleston, Tom Hardy, or Henry Cavill for the next Bond, we also got a cultural debate about whether the character should even be the same hetero white male archetype that he’s traditionally been. Questions of race, gender, sexual orientation, and nationality were all put on the table, in what is arguably still an ongoing conversation – with some notably dark opinions coming to the surface.
So, Barbara Broccoli is probably smart to leave the matter of recasting Bond alone right now, because it’s not a powder keg that needs kicking. Broccoli does recognize the challenge in front of 007 producers, and she hints that finding “the next Daniel Craig” is not on the agenda:
“It will have to be reimagined, in the way each actor has reimagined the role,” Broccoli explained. “That’s what is so exciting and fun about this franchise; the character evolves. Eventually, when we have to think about it, we’ll find the right person.”
Expert producer-speak from Barbara Broccoli, there. “Reimagined” is a term vague enough not to offend, as it could simply mean a new personality in the role or an entirely different vision of Bond. We can’t wait to see which…
No Time to Die is now set to hit theaters on. April 2, 2021.
