Can we Petition to Encourage Daniel Craig to stay as Bond?

Give him as much creative control as need be. He will regret leaving Bond years after. Pierce Brosnan's heart broke when he realized he hadn't stood up for more creative control and paid attention to the series.

Dalton would truly would have loved to do one more after LTK, rather than what the studio demanded of him.

George Lazenby, obviously regrets not doing another one.

And the only reason Roger Moore left the role is because he realized he was older than the mother of Stacy's actress. He would have stayed with the role and continued to use its appeal to help raise money for UNICEF.

Sean Connery couldn't get more creative control and when he did, it was within the confines of the TB story, due to legal constraints involving Kevin McClory. But he did one more his own way when he was older than Daniel Craig is now.

Craig still has the chance to be Bond and to make movies that are not as action-centered but focus on being character-driven. He can get creative control and also get some guarantees in his contract to finance other passion projects.
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Comments

  • I would love him to do another film but I don't think he would want to do another one because he is tired of playing the character.

    Daniel Craig and Sean Connery were the only actors to be fed up of playing Bond.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Feel free to petition anybody you want. I don't see this making a dent in it, though, to be honest. He's moving on, he's the right age too, and I think he's leaving with the right film (just a guess, but my instincts say that).
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,131
    I am done with DC after NTTD, if he stayed on its likely we will have to wait 3 years plus for another film. DC's arc has been an experiment with mixed results which will likely be tied up nicely in NTTD, I want a new Bond with regular stand alone films going forward.
  • BMW_with_missilesBMW_with_missiles All the usual refinements.
    Posts: 3,000
    I am done with DC after NTTD, if he stayed on its likely we will have to wait 3 years plus for another film. DC's arc has been an experiment with mixed results which will likely be tied up nicely in NTTD, I want a new Bond with regular stand alone films going forward.

    I agree wholeheartedly! DC’s been an okay Bond, but I’d like to move on.
  • Agent_47Agent_47 Canada
    Posts: 330
    I am done with DC after NTTD, if he stayed on its likely we will have to wait 3 years plus for another film. DC's arc has been an experiment with mixed results which will likely be tied up nicely in NTTD, I want a new Bond with regular stand alone films going forward.

    I agree wholeheartedly! DC’s been an okay Bond, but I’d like to move on.

    Same here. Ready to move on as well.
  • Posts: 12,473
    Craig is my second-favorite Bond after Connery, but I’m ready to move on after NTTD. Five is a great amount to end with, and I’m hopeful we’ll be returning to standalone films after this era.
  • RichardTheBruceRichardTheBruce I'm motivated by my Duty.
    Posts: 13,803
    I'm good with either direction. Based on the last four films I trust the judgment of the producers on whether Craig returns and which road to take.

  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,138
    I'm just wondering if anyone has ever mounted such a campaign and been successful?
    I seem to recall a 'boycott' for CR by a group of disgruntled fans. Got a lot of publicity at the time, and believe it or not, they're still going.
    Adamant Craig would do one film, two at best. Well how wrong could they be.
    I don't know if a fan petition is going to have any weight as to whether Craig stays of goes. To be honest I think most fans are ready for a change.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Craig is leaving and if he’s correct that this is the right time, the audience will want more from him.

    That’s the goal: leave with the audience asking/wanting more.

    I’ll be sad to see him go, but if this film hits the mark I wouldn’t want him to come back (and I have a feeling that the conclusion will be a definitive end for him).
  • If we go back to stand alone Bond films, it will risk the series repeating the formula which pile-drove it into the ground with DAD.

    Without any care for the quality of the film, if the series goes back to repeating the same old movie, same old story, I'll just stop watching the new ones as I already feel like I wasted money on most of the Pierce Brosnan associated movies.

    With the old series before DC, they had 40 years to work kinks out and yet you still have fans wondering what would have happened if George Lazenby had come back or if simple decisions by the producers were made to help the series give more depth to flawed characters who would be despised by audiences....such as if Paris was an actual Bond girl from a past movie, rather than a pop-up character who imitates a recycled caricature from one of the films.

    By going back to stand alone films, the series will become a parody of the Connery films rather than as originals or films which stay true to the literary work of Ian Fleming.

    It will divide audiences and lose a lot of money at the same time. There's no way I'd want to go back to watching a stand alone Bond film that emphasizes gadgets, shallow characters, and provides too much humor. Even the fans of having more humor and gadgets will watch the darker/serious Bond films which flex the limits but the money doesn't follow the opposite end.

    Another example is MR which cost the entire series a lot of money and left many fans disappointed such that they wouldn't trust the series going on into the 80's in which each subsequent Bond film had a decreasing budget with each feature. That's why strong stories like LTK appeared to have a tv-movie like production style to it.
  • Posts: 1,680
    Then Brosnan really did save the series
  • Posts: 12,526
    DC is going out on a high! Good luck to him as he has been a brilliant Bond and more than invigorated the franchise.
  • pachazopachazo Make Your Choice
    Posts: 7,314
    I love Craig's first three films and I'll always be grateful for his contribution to the series, but I'm ready to say goodbye at this point. In fact, judging by the trailer (and I know, it's only a trailer) this might be one too many for me, especially considering how long we had to wait for it.

    I disagree that going back to standalone adventures would be a misstep, although I'm not sure they will go that direction. There will be a lot of excitement and perhaps controversy surrounding the next actor because Craig has been Bond for a record amount of years.

    I'm hoping that NTTD is great, but either way, I think it's time to move on.
  • Agent_47Agent_47 Canada
    Posts: 330
    If we go back to stand alone Bond films, it will risk the series repeating the formula which pile-drove it into the ground with DAD.

    Without any care for the quality of the film, if the series goes back to repeating the same old movie, same old story, I'll just stop watching the new ones as I already feel like I wasted money on most of the Pierce Brosnan associated movies.

    With the old series before DC, they had 40 years to work kinks out and yet you still have fans wondering what would have happened if George Lazenby had come back or if simple decisions by the producers were made to help the series give more depth to flawed characters who would be despised by audiences....such as if Paris was an actual Bond girl from a past movie, rather than a pop-up character who imitates a recycled caricature from one of the films.

    By going back to stand alone films, the series will become a parody of the Connery films rather than as originals or films which stay true to the literary work of Ian Fleming.

    It will divide audiences and lose a lot of money at the same time. There's no way I'd want to go back to watching a stand alone Bond film that emphasizes gadgets, shallow characters, and provides too much humor. Even the fans of having more humor and gadgets will watch the darker/serious Bond films which flex the limits but the money doesn't follow the opposite end.

    Another example is MR which cost the entire series a lot of money and left many fans disappointed such that they wouldn't trust the series going on into the 80's in which each subsequent Bond film had a decreasing budget with each feature. That's why strong stories like LTK appeared to have a tv-movie like production style to it.

    A bit of doom and gloom. Going back to stand alone films would have no bearing on the quality of the movie. Saying that they would just become a copycat of the Connery films is a bit shortsighted.

    The novels (which are the basis for his tenure) are mostly standalone as well with only a few ties to the previous outing.

    Standalone movies don't necessarily require that the films take the MR/DAD approach. But the series still exists because of its ability to go from FRWL to YOLT, MR to FYEO and DAD to CR.

    I'd also like to point out that DAD was huge success at the box office. Making another DAD was not a gamble for the franchise, CR was.
  • DrClatterhandDrClatterhand United Kingdom
    Posts: 349
    He's my favourite Bond, but it's time to refresh 007. It's starting to feel a little stale.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    Give him more creative control? How much more creative control could he possibly have...?

    Daniel Craig's EON Productions Presents
    Daniel Craig
    as Daniel Craig's James Bond 007 in



    No, Bond needs to move on, sooner rather than later.
  • edited December 2019 Posts: 12,837
    Give him as much creative control as need be. He will regret leaving Bond years after. Pierce Brosnan's heart broke when he realized he hadn't stood up for more creative control and paid attention to the series.

    Dalton would truly would have loved to do one more after LTK, rather than what the studio demanded of him.

    George Lazenby, obviously regrets not doing another one.

    And the only reason Roger Moore left the role is because he realized he was older than the mother of Stacy's actress. He would have stayed with the role and continued to use its appeal to help raise money for UNICEF.

    Sean Connery couldn't get more creative control and when he did, it was within the confines of the TB story, due to legal constraints involving Kevin McClory. But he did one more his own way when he was older than Daniel Craig is now.

    Craig still has the chance to be Bond and to make movies that are not as action-centered but focus on being character-driven. He can get creative control and also get some guarantees in his contract to finance other passion projects.

    Dalton quit. Nothing to do with the studio. He always struggled with the fame of the role and said that he felt really free when he saw the GE poster with Pierce. Doubt he has any regrets. He did what he set out to do perfectly and then quit while he was ahead.

    Brosnan I'm sure would have loved to do one more but don't know why you had to slip a dig in about him not paying attention (what does that even mean?) and not "standing up" for more creative control because all the information we have suggests that's bollocks. He's on record as saying he did suggest going darker and make specific suggestions (e.g. Belluci as Paris), but was ignored at every turn. He's said that the producers "never took me out to dinner" or something along those lines. He was Cubby's choice. Craig has more creative control because he was Barbara's choice and she loves him. Isn't fair to pin the lack of creative control Brosnan had on him. He's an actor. He turned up and did the best he could. He can't help it if the producers won't take his ideas on board.

    And aside from that, no, sorry. You can love a job to bits and still know that it's time to call time on it. Craig is in his 50s and has been Bond for 15 years. It's a series that thrives on change. Fresh blood is desperately needed after NTTD and Craig strikes me as a bit of a perfectionist anyway, I think he's probably very aware of the dangers of staying too long like Moore did and tarnishing his run. I genuinely think the only reason he's doing this one is because he wasn't happy with SP (he's never outright said so but there were rumours of arguments with Mendes, it obviously wasn't as well recieved as CR/SF, and he said this time he wanted to "go out on a high). He's ridiculously rich and he's a big, big star now thanks to how big his era has been. He could get whatever passion projects he wants off the ground. And he's been Bond for ages. Time to let someone else have a go and for him to stretch himself doing other things more often. Plus Craig, like Dalton, is a private person, and he's got another kid now. He strikes me as quite a down to earth guy, I reckon he'll want that kid to have a reasonably normal (by celebrity standards) upbringing. Hard to do that if you're James Bond.

    And his films have been very character focused anyway so I'm not sure what one more with less action would achieve. He's already had a nice story arc. I'm not sure what else there is to explore about his take. Time for a new one.

    I think this will be his last one and that it could be the last we see of him in big budget blockbusters for a while. Probably more stuff like Knives Out and Logan Lucky but I'm really hoping he does more British stuff at some point too.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited December 2019 Posts: 16,410
    secret_007 wrote: »
    I would love him to do another film but I don't think he would want to do another one because he is tired of playing the character.

    Daniel Craig and Sean Connery were the only actors to be fed up of playing Bond.

    It’s a fun point: I think Lazenby and Moore were the only other ones to actually choose to go though, and I think in Roger’s case it was probably a mutual decision between him and the producers! :) Brosnan got essentially dumped and I don’t think the studio wanted Dalton back.
    Connery and Craig are probably the only ones the Bond producers would have liked more of than they got!
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Nicely said @thelivingroyale. I think you're bang-on about Craig and his perfectionism. He wasn't happy with SP and has hinted enough at how he feels (he isn't outright going to call it a failure-- that wouldn't be professional and it would throw all the creatives under the bus, which just isn't in his bag).

    Like @shardlake, and now yourself, I agree that we're about to see the next chapter in this man's artistic life. Surely a return to stage (has he done this after every Bond since QoS? I think so...); maybe that Purity series will be picked up again. Knives Out is a huge hit on a forty million dollar budget, and these are the types of films, if done smartly, with continued excellence in story and casting could become a tight, neat series of films.

    As you said, Craig's a very wealthy man. It will be interesting to see how he wields his new freedom (and exceptional reputation). Exciting times for him, and for fans like us.

  • 00Heaven00Heaven Home
    Posts: 575
    I think where the difficulty for this comes from and thus what creates these types of threads is that there is no real contender that we can see that would step up and take the role by the horns as Daniel has done, especially with the dedication that he has put towards it. That's 100% where my worry is right now.

    Where Daniel IS concerned though, it's time for him to move on. He's held his age together well for this picture but I would hate to think of the type of hours in the gym that would have required at his age. The minute gravity takes over a lot of people would question if he was right to stay on. I think that time is coming soon and so does he. In that sense, I really believe he's doing the best thing for the franchise and for you as a fan.

    General folk are fickle and very black and white in their thinking. Some say they would yearn for him to come back after this one and I have to agree with that thinking but the minute he does come back and they discover that age is being unkind then they would flip-flop. I think that could potentially be negative to the next film in the series.

    Alas, all good things must come to an end... But the arc seems to have run a natural course and I'm keen to see which direction they will go in next. It's exciting.

    My suggestion? Enjoy the run in until April!

    (Apologies if this post is a little weird. I've had a few tipples tonight.)
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Also well written @00Heaven , and not weird in the least. I'm with you on all counts;

    I am fearful that there's truly no one yet worthy of trying to fill Craig's very big shoes, BUT, ironically, this doesn't matter. What matters is tying up his arc in the best way possible and letting him leave with grace, and also, as he's always said, leaving the franchise in a good position to continue on without him.

    It sounds like they're on the road to completing this mission.

    And he has to leave with this last film (which pains me to say; however, once the dust settles, and if NTTD is as good as they think it is, then we will have an amazing era to always return to).

    And I love your suggestion. After all, this is like a lovely ski trip. The vacation is almost at an end. The slopes are about to close. But you still have this one, incredibly thrilling run to complete before packing up your skis and going back home... Enjoy every second of it!!!
  • @pachazo and @thelivingroyale

    Dalton wanted to do one more movie but the studio was trying to force him to sign off on a three-movie deal. The producers were good friends with Dalton and still remain close however the studio kinda forced him to leave the role as he was wrongfully
    not forgiven for LTK's box office. They wanted him to leave. A lot of people including bands who were offered the part of singing the theme song (ie Ace of Base, which was popular at the time) all didn't think 007 would remain relevant and yet GE made a lot of money given Pierce Brosnan was like the People's Choice actor and also the prior 007 film (LTK) left you wondering how the characters were doing (namely 007) who went rogue and had a very personal mission. GE was originally written with Dalton coming back for one more go in mind, which is why the director removed a line referencing his return to the secret service at the beginning.

    @peter People wanted to see that moment, where 007 would lounge by the beach (we actually see that in the Cuba scene of GE) since pretty much every main character of LTK was seen at their most brutally intense moment throughout the film.....also likewise QOS, being Craig's darkest Bond flick in which the whole film carried an air of melancholy throughout, was followed upon by a scene of him enjoying his life after the service in the first quarter of SF....Craig was even quoted as wishing his character would be lounging by the beach during an interview for QoS at the premiere.

    In any case, continuity helps.

    It's the different between sequels like DAF (which disappointed) in not just this franchise but also others like Fast and Furious....the series wouldn't have survived without bringing back the original characters (including Vin Diesel) and making a respectful sequel. That series was almost dead when the early sequels were just completely different films.

    Franchises like the 007 franchise, which we'll keep the subject to, have had unnecessary hurdles in the past which would not allow it to move onward as easily in today's harsh markets....do you all really go to the movie theatre as often as you used to? Probably not. If the franchise returns back to formulaic writing and direction, then why waste your money simply because it has the 007 label on it?

    Prior 007 actors each have insight and experience worth considering when they have feedback advice to help guide the series. Sean Connery certainly would have loved to have done a film like OHMSS.

    Daniel Craig has written pretty much half or more than half of his 007 movies without being billed officially as such but he's fine with that. He was allowed to tailor the character to him.

    You can't replace his 007 with a bad actor, but with the formulaic films like TND for example or DAD you could easily see any other actor play the same part similarly....I'm not saying Brosnan was bad, he just wasn't used to his potential to make a better impact. Studios don't just allow as much room for failure any more.

    I think that having the assurance that the lead actor has paid attention to details and cared for the role such as Daniel Craig's example so far, makes it worthwhile for the audience and allows studios to be rewarded with large box office returns to keep the series fresh.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,410

    Dalton wanted to do one more movie but the studio was trying to force him to sign off on a three-movie deal. The producers were good friends with Dalton and still remain close however the studio kinda forced him to leave the role as he was wrongfully
    not forgiven for LTK's box office. They wanted him to leave. A lot of people including bands who were offered the part of singing the theme song (ie Ace of Base, which was popular at the time) all didn't think 007 would remain relevant and yet GE made a lot of money given Pierce Brosnan was like the People's Choice actor and also the prior 007 film (LTK) left you wondering how the characters were doing (namely 007) who went rogue and had a very personal mission. GE was originally written with Dalton coming back for one more go in mind, which is why the director removed a line referencing his return to the secret service at the beginning.

    Yeah I can totally understand why they went for a new Bond for GoldenEye: they were essentially relaunching the series, and you don't get buzz for a brand new series by bringing back the old guy*. You got audiences wanting to see the new Bond.

    *Well, you can do that if it's Sean Connery :) . But Dalton just never really set the world on fire.
    You can't replace his 007 with a bad actor, but with the formulaic films like TND for example or DAD you could easily see any other actor play the same part similarly....I'm not saying Brosnan was bad, he just wasn't used to his potential to make a better impact.

    Honestly, I don't know. Brosnan was never the greatest actor in the world, but he did have movie star charisma and in something like DAD, which is a big movie, he's still visibly standing at the centre of it all, and that's not something every actor can do. In fact, much as I love something like Living Daylights, I'd say it's arguable that Dalton kind of slightly disappears amongst it all. Or Lazenby is another good example: he's kind of... not there.
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited December 2019 Posts: 4,520
    On this moment i have 20 movies with Pierce Brosnan include his four Bond movies and only 15 none Bond movies (include 2 part mini serie) with Daniel Craig. If i count all Daniel Craig Bond movies then Brosnan and Daniel Craig are even. Knives Out wil possible Daniel Craig 16th movie that i wil collect.

    From the 20 movies (include 4 mini series) with Brosnan i haven't seen 4 and i watched a couple of other movies with him on tv over the let we say 25 years (1994-2019) that i not collect. Mrs Doubt Fire is only none Bond i have seen in cinema in 1994.

    I have mixed feeling with how fast i whant to watch Daniel Craig in none Bond movie. I have seen two none Bond with him on tv first befofe buying on BD. I haven't seen any none Bond with him in the cinema.

    Tomb Raider
    Layer Cake
    The Golden Compass

    Munich
    Flashbacks of a Fool
    Defiance
    How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
    Dream House
    Enduring Love
    Sylvia
    The Invasion *
    Sword of Honour
    One Life (Voice) *
    Cowboys and Aliens *
    Road to Perdition *

    6/15 with The Golden Compass was last one.
    The * collect on BD.

    I whant to keep it special (it trick some of fantasy too) and afraid that some of his none Bond work with rune that and for some others it is not my time yet to watch them. I am curious what Daniel Craig wil do next. Personaly i hope /expect a 6th Bond movie with him, but more because i think it partly it faild with ansers and Spectre created new ones. I like what i see in trailer of NTTD, but not accepted that Lucia wil not comeback after that more open end then Madeline.
  • 00Heaven wrote: »
    I think where the difficulty for this comes from and thus what creates these types of threads is that there is no real contender that we can see that would step up and take the role by the horns as Daniel has done, especially with the dedication that he has put towards it. That's 100% where my worry is right now.

    Where Daniel IS concerned though, it's time for him to move on. He's held his age together well for this picture but I would hate to think of the type of hours in the gym that would have required at his age. The minute gravity takes over a lot of people would question if he was right to stay on. I think that time is coming soon and so does he. In that sense, I really believe he's doing the best thing for the franchise and for you as a fan.

    General folk are fickle and very black and white in their thinking. Some say they would yearn for him to come back after this one and I have to agree with that thinking but the minute he does come back and they discover that age is being unkind then they would flip-flop. I think that could potentially be negative to the next film in the series.

    Alas, all good things must come to an end... But the arc seems to have run a natural course and I'm keen to see which direction they will go in next. It's exciting.

    My suggestion? Enjoy the run in until April!

    (Apologies if this post is a little weird. I've had a few tipples tonight.)

    I can’t imagine the training DC has had to put in for the last few years. Anyone on here around his age will know that mid40s onwards your metabolism basically packs up completely. Ok I’m sure he’s got nutritionists and dieticians boring him to death but you can’t game anno domini.

  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,410
    M_Balje wrote: »
    On this moment i have 20 movies with Pierce Brosnan include his four Bond movies and only 15 none Bond movies (include 2 part mini serie) with Daniel Craig. If i count all Daniel Craig Bond movies then Brosnan and Daniel Craig are even. Knives Out wil possible Daniel Craig 16th movie that i wil collect.

    From the 20 movies (include 4 mini series) with Brosnan i haven't seen 4 and i watched a couple of other movies with him on tv over the let we say 25 years (1994-2019) that i not collect. Mrs Doubt Fire is only none Bond i have seen in cinema in 1994.

    I have mixed feeling with how fast i whant to watch Daniel Craig in none Bond movie. I have seen two none Bond with him on tv first befofe buying on BD. I haven't seen any none Bond with him in the cinema.

    Tomb Raider
    Layer Cake
    The Golden Compass

    Munich
    Flashbacks of a Fool
    Defiance
    How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
    Dream House
    Enduring Love
    Sylvia
    The Invasion *
    Sword of Honour
    One Life (Voice) *
    Cowboys and Aliens *
    Road to Perdition *

    6/15 with The Golden Compass was last one.
    The * collect on BD.

    I whant to keep it special (it trick some of fantasy too) and afraid that some of his none Bond work with rune that and for some others it is not my time yet to watch them. I am curious what Daniel Craig wil do next. Personaly i hope /expect a 6th Bond movie with him, but more because i think it partly it faild with ansers and Spectre created new ones. I like what i see in trailer of NTTD, but not accepted that Lucia wil not comeback after that more open end then Madeline.

    Yeah I'm hoping Knives Out will give his career a bit of a kick start: his stuff in that was very well-received. Because outside of Bond his career has sort of stuttered quite a bit: I don't think he even made a film between the last two Bonds, did he? I know he does big stage work and had a child, so maybe he's not looking for too much movie work but I'd like to see him stay in films.
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,423
    Great post @thelivingroyale. Pierce was maybe the last of Cubby's choices. He brought the series to an even keel, allowing the radical departure of the Craig films.

    I can see the series is, maybe, indeed of reinvigorating. But, looking at the potential, fey, hipster suitors, keep Craig for one more movie at least.
  • edited December 2019 Posts: 79
    Craig will be back, if NTTD is a big success, there is an idea for another good story, and it doesnt take 4 years again.
    Trust my words!

    He has very very consciously avoided to confirm that it is his very last one in every interview and statement I have seen. If he was 100% sure that it was his last, he would definitely say so. Also he seems to having enjoyed shooting NTTD much more than SP

  • edited December 2019 Posts: 49
    Please no. He's been 007 for way too long if you'd ask me.

    I'm glad we're getting someone new, someone with a bit more fun I hope.
  • Please no. He's been 007 for way too long if you'd ask me.

    I'm glad we're getting someone new, someone with a bit more fun I hope.

    But that's how some, if not many, people felt about Roger Moore being Bond but that doesn't mean his last Bond film wasn't the worst, plus TLD was written with Moore in mind.
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