Will Daniel Craig retire after the next James Bond movie?

If James Bond is an international man of mystery, then the James Bond series is an international franchise of pop culture notoriety. Novelist Ian Fleming created the character in 1953.

Many actors have taken on the role since Sean Connery first brought the character to the big screen in 1962 with Dr. No. Connery’s legendary performance set the precedent for the character and would influence following interpretations.

Daniel Craig appeared in his first James Bond movie four years after Pierce Brosnan retired from the role. Now, it seems like Craig will be doing the same. But who’s going to fill his shoes this time around?

Bond. . . James Bond

James Bond has been a household name for book lovers since the 1950s. Movie lovers have only been able to appreciate him since the 1960s. Both can agree, though, Bond has had a huge impact on pop culture.

Sean Connery’s curt Scottish accent curling around Bond’s iconic catchphrase has been parodied in shows like The Simpsons. Roger Moore gave the character an easy cool which still lingers in the collective memory of the fans.

Echoes of Pierce Brosnan’s Bond can be found in Christian Bale’s performance as Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight. Daniel Craig’s piercing blue eyes compel movie-goers to the edges of their seats in anticipation of his every move.

Other iterations of the character have not been as remarkable. Casual fans would be hard-pressed to remember that George Lazenby & Timothy Dalton also portrayed their own version of James Bond.

So, if Craig is ready to retire as Bond, whoever comes next faces a lot of pressure to be just as iconic in their portrayal. Speculation over who might replace Craig started almost as soon as the rumors of his retirement began back in November 2019.

Lashana Lynch

When Eon Productions dropped the No Time to Die trailer in December 2019, it caused some controversy among fans. The movie trailer revealed Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel) would be picking up the 007 mantle from Daniel Craig as MI6 agent Nomi.

Many fans joyfully speculated over the news. Lynch will be the first 007 since the character’s introduction in 1953 not portrayed by a White male actor. Moreover, the recasting could potentially usher in a new era for the franchise.

Many fans, however, were downright angry over the news. Lynch received various forms of criticism and not all of it constructive. In fact, some of it was downright hateful. Lynch responded to the vitriol by taking a break from social media.

No Time to Die

No Time to Die is the newest installation in the James Bond franchise set. James Bond (Craig) once again finds himself trotting around the globe to solve international mysteries.

What begins as a rescue mission turns into the challenge of taking down his newest adversary in the form of Safin (Rami Malek). Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) also has big shoes to fill as the only thing as iconic as 007 in the James Bond movies are the villains.

The movie also potentially marks Daniel Craig’s last portrayal of Bond. Fans aren’t exactly happy about his departure. But that may be more because they’re nervous about who might be chosen to portray him next.

While Lynch will be picking up the 007 mantle, it’s still unclear which actor will be the next James Bond. While Tom Hardy’s name popped up, it was the consideration of Idris Elba that stirred controversy when Fleming called him “too street” for the role.

COVID-related delays pushed the release date from April 2. No Time to Die is now set for a theater release on September 30 (U.K.) & October 8 (U.S.). No word yet on whether or not it will also be released to any streaming services.

—

What’s your favorite James Bond movie? Who’s your favorite 007? How excited are you to watch No Time to Die? Let us know in the comments below!