Now that the latest film in the James Bond franchise has been released, “No Time to Die” is the final instalment that will see Daniel Craig portray the world’s most famous secret agent.
Taking his film tally to five, Craig has been Bond for a fifth of the franchise as he followed in the footsteps of Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan, however after playing the main character for 15 years, his turn as 007 has come to an end.
Indeed, his successor is yet to be known and there is a lot of speculation, however that is something that is for another date as the release of his final film will provide its own questions, such as “Was Daniel Craig a great Bond?” and “Did he have the appeal with the fans?”
How will Daniel Craig be remembered?
In some quarters, there are suggestions that Craig is one of the best actors to have ever portrayed Bond on the big screen, although some will strongly disagree and believe that the best portrayal was by Connery or Moore. Of course, this argument could come down to the era of Bond watchers, with the newest generation of fans likely to have enjoyed what the current 007 films had shown, whereas an older generation may have their own tastes.
However, this is just one of the many reasons why the film franchise has been so popular and why it has managed to go on for 25 films (and with many more likely to follow in the near future)! Sure, there have been a number of brilliant scenes that feature plenty of high-octane action, and where James Bond is back sipping martinis and playing Chemin De Fer in a casino as he gambles for an ulterior gain, but the fact that the title character has continued to create debate will be one of the biggest wins possible.
Craig took down adversity without a problem
One of the biggest challenges that Craig will have faced to begin with would have been when he was initially cast as the latest 007 agent, as he did not naturally fit the “look” that many would have associated with Bond.
The character had jet-black hair, a clean-cut look and a charming demeanor; something Craig does not have. In fact, it could be argued that he is the complete opposite. This meant he was already being looked at as someone who would have his back to the wall before his first film had even been released.
However, with each instalment that was released, it is clear that he managed to turn everyone around with his portrayal of the character, whilst he also helped to change the way Bond was looked at. Gone was the classic portrayal of ‘Bond Girls’ and the classic actions of 007; instead, an agent that was modern and “more with the times” was born.
That is definitely thanks to Daniel Craig and the Bond film franchise is a lot healthier for having had him portray the character for 15 years across five blockbuster films.
