Daniel Craig responds to the news that the in James Bond 26, but now the franchise has seen a very different shift. News broke earlier on February 20 that Amazon MGM Studios has taken complete creative control over the spy series.

In a statement shared by Variety, Craig shared his thoughts on the franchise's new direction. He mostly took the opportunity to pay tribute to Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, sharing his appreciation for their work and his desire to partner with them again in the future. He said:

My respect, iration and love for Barbara and Michael remain constant and undiminished. I wish Michael a long, relaxing (and well deserved) retirement and whatever ventures Barbara goes on to do, I know they will be spectacular and I hope I can be part of them.

What This Means For The James Bond Franchise

Craig Has Moved On, But Still Has Fond Feelings For The Franchise

Craig first took over the role of James Bond in 2006's Casino Royale. He appeared in a total of five movies before departing the franchise in 2021's No Time to Die. However, even though it has been close to four years since he officially said goodbye to the character, Craig still remains closely associated with the iconic spy, to the point where he is frequently asked for his opinion on who should be the next Bond star. After spending so much time working within the franchise, it makes sense that he would wish to weigh in on this seismic change.

Per the new agreement, Wilson and Broccoli remain co-owners of the Bond property, but they have created a new venture with Amazon MGM that grants the studio full creative ownership of the franchise.

Craig's statement doesn't allude to Amazon, instead keeping its focus solely on Wilson and Broccoli. This was likely not done out of any ill-will towards the studio itself; instead, the actor wished to honor the producers he worked alongside. Though Craig's Bond tenure was at times strained due to initial backlash to his casting and behind-the-scenes frustrations, he still left the role on good and no doubt thinks highly of the creatives he worked with. This is especially clear through his assertion that he would like to work with Wilson and Broccoli again.

Our Take On Craig's Bond Statement

Even before the Amazon MGM change, the next James Bond movie was going to mark a new era for the long-running franchise. Now, in addition to the scrutiny that comes from a new lead star, the next movie will be closely watched to see if the series falters or soars under its new management. Craig will have little to do with what comes next, but based on his statement, it is certain he will be watching closely and will no doubt have opinions of his own. Nevertheless, his last movie will now be notable for a whole other reason, for better or worse.

Source: Variety