With Spectre marking Daniel Craig’s fourth go round as James Bond, it seems a little bit of fatigue might be setting in for the actor, with a recent interview with Time Out London seeing the actor at his most brutally honest on how he feels about portraying Ian Fleming’s suave super spy as the twenty fourth installment in the uber popular series is just around the corner. Seriously, he should be teaching classes on how to give zero fucks about anything.
It all begins with the question of him returning for a fifth time, with his answer being:
Now? I’d rather break this glass and slash my wrists. No, not at the moment. Not at all. That’s fine. I’m over it at the moment. We’re done. All I want to do is move on.
Ok, it’s worth bearing in mind he has signed on for a Bond 25, and really this sounds like the answer of a man who has just finished a gruelling shoot and now has to go on the promotional trail, all within the space of a year (shooting began December 5th last year). For his follow up answer he does try to be a bit more diplomatic. Just:
I haven’t given it any thought. For at least a year or two, I just don’t want to think about it. I don’t know what the next step is. I’ve no idea. Not because I’m trying to be cagey. Who the fuck knows? At the moment, we’ve done it. I’m not in discussion with anybody about anything. If I did another Bond movie, it would only be for the money.
Every idea I’ve had for a Bond movie, I’ve stuck into this one. It’s gone in. The Bond bank is dry. If you’re asking me what would I do with another Bond movie? I haven’t a clue. Go into space? Let’s do it! They already did it. Let’s do it again.
I guess a Moonraker remake isn’t the worst idea ever, but it really seems like Craig is done with the role. We can’t complain if he does hang up the Walther PPK after Spectre, it’s being a good run. But he does reveal that we almost could have had Bond 25 a lot sooner than expected:
Well, I was contracted to do another one. That was all set up. But at the studio there was a real keenness to get it done as soon as possible. In fact, there was a conversation at one point that went: “Let’s film two movies back to back.” I just went: “You’re out of your fucking minds.” In the nicest possible way. They’re just too big.
Look, I don’t give a fuck. Good luck to them! All I care about is that if I stop doing these things we’ve left it in a good place and people pick it up and make it better. Make it better, that’s all.
And while he gives zero fucks about who takes over, he does have some advice:
Don’t be shit! Go for it. Embrace it. Some clichéd line like that. But no, just make sure you’re great. You’ve got to push yourself as far as you can. It’s worth it, it’s James Bond.
At the end of the day, he does speak the truth in what is a very strange interview. Some could see it as him negotiating his contract in public, but it really just feels like he’s had it with the series. If he does return, it will definitely be for the last time.
