You already know this by now, but Daniel Craig is done with the role of James Bond, after starring in five films as 007. And with the fifth film, “No Time to Die,” hitting theaters in less than two weeks, you would think the person that is replacing Craig in the role would be something Barbara Broccoli and other Bond producers would be thinking about. Well, maybe not.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4 (via Deadline), Broccoli made it clear that the people behind the scenes haven’t even really started thinking about who will replace Daniel Craig as James Bond.
“We want Daniel to have his time of celebration,” Broccoli said. “Next year we’ll start thinking about the future.”
And since she’s not even thinking about the future, Broccoli went on to talk about just how much the role of James Bond has impacted the life of Craig, but also just how much Craig has influenced the role itself.
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“He knew it would change his life, which it obviously has,” she added. “He enabled us to explore the emotional life of Bond, to go deeply into the personal, complexity of the character.”
In terms of the near-constant discussion about who might replace Craig in the role, not much is known. Names like Henry Cavill, Richard Madden, Regé-Jean Page, Henry Golding, and more get brought up by blogs and fans, but the folks who make the decision, such as Broccoli, have been mum about anyone in particular.
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That said, we do know one thing—the next Bond will be a man. Broccoli has said multiple times that the role of James Bond will always be male. So, no “Doctor Who”-esque surprises where a female will take over the franchise. Also, it’s unclear whether we can really expect a non-white Bond, as the producers do seem very traditional when speaking about the character. All that to say, don’t expect some crazy, out-of-left-field casting.
In the meantime, while we wait for 2022 and the new Bond, you can watch Daniel Craig say goodbye in the upcoming film, “No Time to Die,” which hits theaters on October 8.