Daniel Craig announces he will return as James Bond
Fox411: Daniel Craig, who once said he'd rather 'break glass and slash my wrists' than play 007 again, told Stephen Colbert on Tuesday that he will return for another James Bond film
After Daniel Craig confirmed that he’s signed on to return as James Bond for his fifth film in the franchise, there are already leaks about the planned plot for the film, which will have 007 married, sources exclusively tell Page Six.
Craig did not confirm his return as the superspy until he revealed his decision on Stephen Colbert’s show in August, but regular Bond screenwriters Robert Wade and Neal Purvis reportedly boarded the project back in March.
The team’s worked on Bond films including “Casino Royale,” “Quantum of Solace,” “Skyfall” and “Spectre,” which they took over from a John Logan draft.
A Hollywood insider tells us that in the film that’s so far been dubbed “Bond 25”: “Bond quits the secret service, and he’s in love and gets married.” The source continues that “his wife then gets killed,” bringing Bond back into action.
In the franchise’s last film from 2015, “Spectre,” Bond’s love interest was Léa Seydoux as Dr. Madeleine Swann— who’s (naturally) rescued by Bond just before the closing credits. But the source says that as the next film opens, they are in wedded bliss. “The film’s like ‘Taken’ with Bond,” says the source, who adds the suave spy is trying to avenge his wife’s murder.
It’s unclear if the writers will rework the plot after the leak. Some fans have guessed that the world’s most famous fictitious playboy could tie the knot in the next installment. One blog, Inverse.com, pointed out that “Ian Fleming constantly had Bond thinking about settling down in his original books,” and, “In both the book and film versions of ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,’ Bond is married to Tracy Draco, only to have her brutally murdered by [Bond archnemesis] Blofeld in the final, and tragic, denouement.” Draco was played in the film by Diana Rigg — a k a Olenna Tyrell from “Game of Thrones.”
“Bond 25” has a Nov. 8, 2019, release date. Variety reported that Yann Demange (whose name already sounds like a Bond baddie) is the frontrunner to direct. Craig has said that the film will be his last: “I just want to go out on a high note.”
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