Ever since the shortfall of Spectre, Daniel Craig’s last outing as the globe-trotting British spy, speculation has been rife over who will take the reins.
Craig consistently quashed rumours that he’d be back for the remainder of his contract, famously quoting he’d rather “slash his wrists” than do another Bond film.
It’s popular knowledge that Craig immediately turned down a whopping £68 million offer for two more films following the release of Spectre.
Names immediately started bouncing furiously around the internet. Tom Hardy, Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba, and the popular Tom Hiddleston all spiked with bookies who began to claim their competitive odds for the next James Bond.
However, as recently reported in The Telegraph, Bond producer Barbara Broccoli, daughter of franchise boss Albert Broccoli, has apparently convinced Craig to do one final film; despite the fact his contract was originally termed for six films.
This was reaffirmed when the likely choice, The Night Manager’s lead star Tom Hiddleston, was ruled out by Broccoli and co. for being “too smug” and “not tough enough” to play Bond. This is hard hitting news for Hiddleston who has openly expressed his interest in becoming the next Bond at a modest age of 36.
It seems that this has come as a result of Barbara’s recently produced stage version of Shakespeare’s Othello, in which Craig starred. The rapport between Craig and his boss was so positive, and the play such a success, that sources have told the media he’s ready to do another Bond.
It has been reported that Bond screenwriting regulars Robert Wade and Neal Purvis have a script well and truly underway and are waiting for a green light from Craig to begin production.
It looks as if, then, that your picks for the next Bond will have to go on hold for a few years longer. Will Idris Elba finally get his chance to be the first black Bond in history?
We’ll keep you in the loop.
