When you anticipate coming face to face with Daniel Craig, you expect the tough and brooding icon to sit down, brush off trivial questions of the press and dash away to his next adventure as soon as he can. On the contrary, the actor turns out to be nothing but entertaining, humorous and ego-free. While speaking at the Sony Building in Manhattan today, Craig discussed his take on Bond in '08 and gave hope that we'll see a third installment sooner than later.
"I wanted to make him part of the modern world," says Craig. "(Ian) Fleming's character doesn't exist anymore. Sixty cigarettes a day is nice but it's not going to get you through the day."
On the topic of the double entendres and classic puns of Bond's vintage years, Craig admits that, while he did enjoy them, "You cannot just drop them in and it's just supposed to be funny. There has to be a few gags - but they have to serve the story."
Producer Barbara Broccoli, daughter of longtime series producer Albert R. Broccoli, is the first to let it be known that story is key. "When we begin, we ask ourselves 'what is the emotional journey Bond is going to go on and what do we put him up against?' We ask 'what is the world afraid of?' and try to take that fear and put it into a character. 'What if there was an organization that was interested in exploiting our natural resources for greed and power?' And it goes from there."
As for what we can expect from Craig's third turn as Bond, Broccoli adds, "We're constantly being bombarded with new ideas. New locations. We felt it was important to finish the emotional story between Bond and Vesper which began in Casino Royale. "I think he ends this film knowing who he is and what kind of life he's going to have."
Craig shares Broccoli's sentiment that, post-Quantum, they now have the freedom to open things up for an installment that is not directly connected to 'Casino' and 'Solace'.
"I think we can do anything," Craig says, eyes widening. "Perhaps add Q and Moneypenny...give those characters to real actors and see what they do. Of course I'd like to make another one. I'd love to work with Marc (Forster) again. It has to stand out as something classic and also kick ass. Who knows?"
As for what Craig sees for his character in the future, he leans back and smiles. "Bond sitting on a beach for the first forty-five minutes with some random explosions going on behind him - that's what I'd like."
The triple bill of Quantum, Trek Trailer 1 and Watchmen Trailer 2 begins today!
