Bond: New Report Trashes Daniel Craig $150 Million Rumour

The rumours that Daniel Craig has been offered $150 million to make two more movies as James Bond are ‘baloney,’ a new report claims.

According to Vanity Fair’s sources, “no such deal” has been offered to the 48-year old British actor, and “negotiations to pin down who will portray 007 in upcoming Bond installments are still ongoing.”

The report goes on to pick holes in the initial Radar Online report which launched the rumour, noting that “the decision to pay Craig such an astronomical fee would not unilaterally fall to Sony,” but production company Eon and studio MGM, who have been at the helm of the series since it began in the 1960s.

This is of particular note as Sony’s deal with MGM to co-distribute the series (which began in 2006 on Craig’s first film ‘Casino Royale’) came to an end with 2015′s ‘Spectre.’ While Sony are reportedly keen to renew this deal they have serious competition from Disney, Warner Bros, Paramount and Universal.

The report also dismisses the notion of Craig being willing to shoot two Bonds back to back, noting the producers had already discussed this idea with the actor and he had replied “you’re out of your f***ing minds… they’re just too big.” Craig has repeatedly cited the physical strain of making the movies as a key reason behind his reluctance to return.

Vanity Fair also reports that Craig’s infamous comments on the eve of ‘Spectre’s release – declaring, at that moment, he’d “rather slash his wrists” than make another Bond movie – did not go down at all well with MGM chairman Gary Barber.

An anonymous source at MGM claims, “Gary hit the ceiling when he read the story… He called up Daniel to yell at him. He was furious.”

While it is noted that Craig is still under contract to play Ian Fleming’s secret agent in one more film, reportedly it “would be simple enough for Craig to break his contract if the studios felt his antipathy continuing as 007 presented an insurmountable hive of negative buzz.”

Many reports have sprung up in recent days claiming that ‘Spectre’ was an unhappy experience for many involved, most recently with Christoph Waltz expressing disappointment in his performance as iconic villain Blofeld.

With the 25th film in the spy series provisionally set for 2018, we have every confidence that James Bond will return once again; it still remains to be seen if Craig will fill the tuxedo a fifth time.

Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Aidan Turner, Jeremy Northam and Tom Hughes have all been rumoured as potential successors in the role, among others.

Picture Credit: MGM/Sony

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