James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli opens up about the role of 007 following No Time to Die and her inability to imagine anyone after Daniel Craig. The Golden Globe and Emmy nominee first appeared as the iconic MI6 agent in 2006's Casino Royale, which served as a reboot of the film franchise to explore Bond at the start of his career as a less-experienced and more emotionally vulnerable 007. Despite some criticisms over Craig's casting ahead of its release, the film was a smash hit upon release, setting the record for the highest-grossing Bond film with over $616 million grossed, though would later be surpassed by Skyfall, and receive rave reviews for its subversion of franchise tropes.
After starring in three sequels and initially calling it quits with Spectre, Craig elected to return for one final outing with No Time to Die. The film is set five years after the events of the 2015 film in which Bond had captured Ernst Stavro Blofeld and elected to leave active service, though has been drawn back in by CIA officer and friend Felix Leiter to help his search for a missing scientist that leads him to a villain with mass destruction plans. Following multiple delays due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and a change in directors, No Time to Die is finally set to hit theaters in October.
Ahead of his final film finally hitting theaters, documentary Being James Bond explores Craig's tenure as the MI6 agent. In reflecting on No Time to Die and the future of Bond, producer Broccoli revealed she is uncertain who could carry on the role after Craig due to the elevation the actor brought to the role. See what Broccoli said below:
"Daniel has taken the character, the series, the whole thing to a place that is so extraordinary, so emotionally satisfying that I cannot imagine Bond after Daniel."
Heading into his debut in Casino Royale, many were skeptical about Craig's turn as James Bond but the past 15 years have certainly shown him to be one of the ultimate actors to bring Ian Fleming's super spy to life. Critics and audiences alike may look at his films as a mixed bag of the campier older films and unique emotional depth, but Craig's ability to capture the charisma, power and somber nature of Bond has received consistent praise with every film. All of these elements have certainly raised the questions in everyone's minds of who could possibly carry the role forward following Craig's forthcoming departure.
Given the elongated time it has taken for No Time to Die to come to theaters, it's understandable the producers have continually expressed their desire to focus on its release rather than who would come next in the part. With the film's marketing teasing the possibility of a new character taking over the role of 007 and director Cary Joji Fukunaga stating that the film will continue the franchise's tradition of a "Bond will return" postscript in the credits, it's certainly anyone's guess as to what the future holds for Bond. Only time will tell when No Time to Die finally arrives on October 8.
Source: Being James Bond
