There are people who think Daniel Craig is done as James Bond. There are some who think he’s just blowing off steam ahead of the 25th installment of the legendary spy franchise. There are even some of us in the middle who think that Craig is just f*cking with us all, because he knows that Bond fans love nothing more than to speculate about who is next. And speculate we have, ever so wildly, fantasizing about everyone from Idris Elba to Jason Statham, before settling on the latest obsession – Tom Hiddleston.
The charming-as-all-hell actor has become the new fan favorite to take over as the gentleman super spy because of his role in AMC’s The Night Manager, and he has previously admitted that he wouldn’t kick the role out of bed. When Jimmy Kimmel asked him, “Would you want to be James Bond?” Hiddleston’s non-answer was still basically an affirmation, and prior to that he called the role an “extraordinary opportunity” and said he wouldn’t take the “physicality of the job” lightly.
So, what about now, almost two months later? According to his interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Hiddleston is one of those people who thinks Craig is just blowing off steam (or smoke).
“It is a national obsession to talk about who should be the next James Bond,” he acknowledges. “Everyone has an opinion about it basically. My belief is that Daniel Craig will do many, many more. As far as I’m concerned, he is James Bond.”
After a pause, Hiddleston adds, “But I should just take the compliment and smile and shrug.”
Again, Hiddleston is one of the most charming men in show business, if not the entire world, so it’s impossible to imagine him without a perma-smirk. As if to tell us, “You know I’m the next Bond, you obsessed suckers.”
But Craig’s status is hardly the only mystery of Bond 25. If Craig is out, then Christoph Waltz is probably out, too, which means the franchise will need a new bad guy. Director Sam Mendes, who is also more than likely done with the franchise, offered a coin flip answer when he was recently asked about Craig’s return, while producer Michael G. Wilson said in November that he thinks “we’ve got Daniel Craig.” He also said the film would have a new distributor by February, but one huge problem at a time, folks.
