Has Daniel Craig Quit James Bond For Good?
Rumours suggest his 007 days are over.
Daniel Craig has turned down the chance to play James Bond again, according to reports in the Daily Mail.
The 48-year-old actor is said to have rejected a 68 million deal to star in two further 007 instalments - a significantly larger sum than the 38 million he was paid for the first four Bond movies; Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre.
An unnamed source outlined the situation, saying;
"Daniel is done pure and simple he told top brass at MGM after Spectre. They threw huge amounts of money at him, but it just wasnt what he wanted. He had told people after shooting that this would be his final outing, but the film company still felt he could come around after Spectre if he was offered a money deal."
Craig's reluctance to commit to future Bond outings was widely reported during the press tour for Spectre.
Speaking to Time Out in October 2015, the actor responded to the question of playing the character again;
"Now? Id rather break this glass and slash my wrists. No, not at the moment. Not at all. Thats fine. Im over it at the moment. Were done. All I want to do is move on."
Craig has played Bond since 2008, his movies easing MGM's bankruptcy issues by netting over 2 billion in box office revenue. While he is still contractually bound to appear in at least one more Bond movie, sources have indicated that executives are willing to let him go, having grown weary of his open criticisms of the franchise.
Tom Hiddleston remains the bookie's favourite, who called off bets for the Cambridge-educated actor just days before rumours of Craig's departure began to circulate.