John Boyega wishes that Daniel Craig would have stayed on as James Bond.
The ‘Queer’ actor bowed out as 007 after five films in 2021’s ‘No Time to Die’ but Boyega would’ve been pleased to see him continue playing the spy rather than have the current uncertainty that exists around the franchise. Craig’s tenure as Bond lasted 15 years, making him one of the longest-serving actors in the role.
“I still think Daniel should have done at least two more. I’m not mad at an older Bond. (If) you go so young. I’m like, ‘Isn’t that a rebrand of the whole franchise?’ I wonder how they would creatively do that,” the ‘Star Wars’ actor told Metro. The Bond franchise has historically seen actors serve in the role for varying lengths, with Roger Moore holding the record at 12 years.
John admits that it is impossible to “fathom” what it would be like to be Bond unless he was given the chance to don the character’s famous tuxedo. The iconic tuxedo has been a staple of the character since Sean Connery first portrayed Bond in 1962’s “Dr. No.”
The 32-year-old star said: “You can only really answer that question when the opportunity actually lands in your lap and could work. I can’t even fathom if that would ever be an option. Bonds over the years are just very specific. I love the Bond movies. I don’t know what creative lane Barbara (Broccoli) and the guys are taking… No one really knows.” The Bond franchise has grossed over $7 billion worldwide, making it one of the most successful film series in history.
“But I think it’s fun that the fans get to interact and see who they would prefer to take over the mantle.” The Bond fandom has grown significantly over the franchise’s 60-year history, with social media now playing a major role in discussions about casting choices.
Daniel’s take on Bond is considered to be more vulnerable than his predecessors as 007 and he revealed that he didn’t want to “copy” what had come before him in the franchise. His portrayal earned critical acclaim and helped modernize the character for contemporary audiences.
The 56-year-old actor said: “I’m interested in lots of things, but I wasn’t interested in doing a copy of something, or representing something, or doing something that somebody else had done. And also, as an actor, the only thing that really gets me up in the morning is the emotional journey of a character.” Craig’s Bond films collectively earned over $3.2 billion at the global box office.
“I knew who James Bond was, I’d done the research, and I wanted to keep it within those parameters. But within those parameters, I wanted to explore vulnerability, I wanted to explore whether there was a human person inside that. I didn’t know how else to do it. Honestly, I mean, it sounds like, ‘This is what I was going to do,’ but I actually don’t know how else to act.” Craig’s interpretation of Bond has influenced how action heroes are portrayed in modern cinema.
Boyega also revealed that he is excited about filming the sequel to the 2011 movie ‘Attack the Block‘, although director Joe Cornish is refusing to let him say too much about it. The original film has become a cult classic since its release.
“We’re still in the can. I can’t say much, Joe’s got a choke machine around me. He’s still in the lab making sure that the sequel makes sense,” he explained. The first “Attack the Block” was made on a budget of £8 million and helped launch Boyega’s career.
“But I’ve read it, I love it! We’re not at the stage where we don’t have a script, we have our director, we have plans and I’m looking forward to shooting. I’m excited!” The sequel comes after years of fan demand and speculation about the continuation of the story.
