Is Craig Calling it Quits?

goodbye

Call it the curse of OHMSS (Spoiler SPECTRE is essentially a remake of OHMSS). Lazenby walked away from the role before the movie could be released cementing his time as bond before it really began. Craig has made noises that Spectre is his last. He has made similar disgruntled noises in the past after each film, however this is a lot more direct.

For the new film, Spectre, Craig told Esquire magazine that he would instead bring “weight and meaning” to the role. Craig, who has disclosed Spectre is likely to be his final appearance as Bond, said the new film would consciously make its parts for women as empowering as possible, to counteract Bond’s own behaviour.

Craig suggested this may be his last appearance in the role, paving the way for heightened speculations over who will fill his shoes. When asked if he would continue in the franchise, he said: “At this moment, no. I have a life and I’ve got to get on with it a bit. But we’ll see.”

“You know, it sounds awful but I’ve been left a wealthy man by doing this. I can afford to live very comfortably… I’m incredibly fortunate.
“But the day I can walk into a pub and someone goes, ‘Oh, there’s Daniel Craig’ and then just leaves me alone, that’ll be great.”

Barbara Broccoli squeals like giddy school girl whenever Craig is mentioned, talks of being a bride on a honeymoon*, she even gave him a co-producer credit, so presumably his job is safe with her in charge. The studio was happy enough to extend his contract in 2012 with a fat pay raise.

The one who is not happy is Craig, he doesn’t really like Bond or making the movies. He has one more film in his contract, but he has been at it for 10 years at this juncture. He seems to be saying he is ready to get this life back, ready to move on.

Of course he has one more payday coming if he wants to take it. Who knows how the movie will play out, financially and critically. A future offer may be too good to walk away from.

My problem is not so much Craig himself, personally I don’t think he looks or acts the part. Plenty enough don’t seem to mind, so he’s earned his pay checks in my book. What concerns me even if Craig decides to leave is he is only a symptom of the problems at EON. Seemingly as soon as Barbara Broccoli had control over the franchise after her mother died she was quick to jettison the legacy embracing the popular storey telling memes of the day. Turning Bond from sophisticated spy into a dysfunctional psychopath with mommy issues. Making these supposedly back to Fleming movies about a character (with a history) Fleming never penned.

When talking about problems at EON I should also mention the ballooning production cost, $350 million (maybe more some cars were nicked and had to be replaced ), then P&A in the neighbourhood of $250 million at a minimum. Making it very hard to break even unless they make Jurassic Wold kind of money. Who knows maybe they will and all this is bluster over nothing. But that misses the main problem which is why does a Bond movie cost north of Avengers extravaganza and 3D heavy Avatar?

EON has acted like they’ve learned their lessons before, the reboot featuring Craig was supposedly because Brosnan was too expensive and his movies cost too much to make. Craig was supposed to be a dawn of a new era of smart film making on a smart budget. Except it wasn’t. CR’s real budget was not far off from DAD, it actually cost more the DAD to produce. Cost have only gone upwards since. Running into trouble when QOS under preformed and lucking out with Skyfall surpassing all expectations.

Obviously it is not any one actor or director making these cost spiral out of control it has to be something more fundamental with the production company.

I’m cautiously optimistic this will be Craig’s last outing, based solely on his tone found so far in one interview, if it is I’ll be the first to wish him well and buy a ticket for his next project. But even if he happily moves on the problems may still exist at EON. Barbara Broccoli could very well cast someone worse than Craig and make the stories even more soap operaish.

* she said the same thing about Brosnan 2002-2003

  7 comments for “Is Craig Calling it Quits?

  1. I believe the role of Bond has damaged Craig, He has not one other film since the failed Skyfall overated dumb Bond film and no current projects in the works.

    I also think there was some trouble on the set this time and he might be heading for a divorce soon also…….

  2. TBPH “Die Another Day” was so much of a mess it was obvious then that things would have to change. It was an enjoyable enough film with plenty of Bond’s traditional thrills & spills going for it but lacked the punch of previous outings. I kinda wish the Pierce Brosnan and Timothy Dalton era’s had been swapped around (if the age gap had been switched too).

    My Wife & I often watched Bond films regularly, not obsessively but enough times to notice the restructure of the mediocre “Casino Royale” and the totally rubbish “Quantum Of Solace”. Loved “Skyfall” though and really looking forward to seeing “SPECTRE” but it looks very much as if the writing is on the wall for any possible 5th Bond Film from DC who has quoted as saying “he couldn’t really give a f**k who plays Bond next”, “he’d rather slash his wrists than do another one” and “if I did another it would only be for the money”.

    Of course he’s totally entitled to make those kind of comments it just shows when it comes to diplomacy he really hasn’t got a care or a clue.

    That’s why I’m hoping he quits and takes his (considerably more than) 30 pieces of silver payroll and does a mighty GTFO.

    I’m one of the many hoping Idris Elba gets the job, I really think he’d have what it makes to be a first class Bond.

    Just, for pity’s sake….NOT Damien Lewis!!!!

  3. Regrettably, I feel Barbara Broccoli never really understood the James Bond phenomenon like her father did. Bond was never meant to be ordinary or like the plumber next door. His appeal was in the fact that he was larger than life, heroic, somewhat superhuman, tall dark and handsome, who had the right lines for every occasion.

    I'm just wondering if turning Bond into an antihero was part of a personal crusade against men in general: "Show them up for what they really are!" But people don't go to the movie theatre to see characters like that (unless they are depictions of real life characters with extraordinary stories). They see them every day in their daily lives. When Dr. No was first screeened, the critics fell in love with it instantly, not because James Bond was believable, but precisely because he wasn't. They loved the movice for all the reasons Harry Saltzman and Albert Broccoli hadn't intended them to like it – because it was so unreal it was funny – and they laughed at almost every line…and then emrged from the cinema feeling like they'd just been entertained like never before. 

    People watch Bond films to escapte to make believe worlds – which is why the fantasy also does so well. They want to believe in the ability of human beings to rise above their mundane circumstances, and though James Bond and his entourage they can. Ian Fleming's books were never that great anyway. The film franchise succeeded where Fleming's books hadn't thus far. To try to make the characters "truer" then to Fleming's original conception is a mistake. Until Bond returns to being more like the Bond played by Sean Connery, the franchise will continue to go downhill.

  4. Hello, I think your website might be hniavg browser compatibility issues. When I look at your blog in Chrome, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, very good blog!

  5. I dont understand any of this. Craig is the best bond ever !!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Even that skyfall turdfest of a disappointment where all we see is some old people shacked up on the moors, craig dragged that movie into the sunlight.

    Why the hate on the best thing to happy to bond for decades?

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