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Prince · 10-14-2005, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Daniel Craig unveiled as new Bond

Daniel Craig arrived at the James Bond press conference by boat
Actor Daniel Craig has been unveiled as the new James Bond.

The English star of gangster film Layer Cake arrived at a press conference in London by speedboat to be confirmed as the next 007.

The actor, who will be the sixth James Bond, said: "It's a huge challenge. Life is about challenges and this is one of the big ones as an actor."

Asked how he celebrated getting the role, the 37-year-old star said: "I had a couple of Martinis when I found out."

He admitted taking the role would be a big responsibility but added: "I've just got to step up to the plate and deal with it."

Production of Casino Royale is due to start in January and director Martin Campbell has said it will be "tougher, grittier and more realistic".

Craig added: "Together with Martin, I want to make the best film we can, the most entertaining film we can.

"It's not a question of redifining, it's a question of taking it somewhere maybe where it's never gone before."

He said he had received encouragement from predecessor Pierce Brosnan and had tried to think of it "like any other job".

"We've got an incredible script - that's my first line of attack. Once I'd read that I knew I had to go for it."

Producer Michael G Wilson said they had considered 200 actors from around the world before settling on Craig.

Neither Q nor Moneypenny will appear, Mr Wilson added, but it was not confirmed whether Dame Judi Dench will return as M.

Craig's first major role was in the BBC Two drama Our Friends in the North in 1996 and he rose to prominence in Hollywood alongside Tom Hanks in Road To Perdition in 2002.

He has since played poet Ted Hughes opposite Gwyneth Paltrow in Sylvia and headlined Layer Cake, which co-starred Sienna Miller.

He is also to appear in Steven Spielberg's new drama Munich, about the Olympic massacre of 1972.

Asked earlier this year if he would take the role, Craig replied: "Well, the emotional level is not there and that's important for me.

"I'd want that to change but I don't know how ready they'd be to change."

Casino Royale will be an adaptation of author Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel and will be directed by GoldenEye film-maker Martin Campbell.

In the book, the spy was introduced as a more youthful and cold character than he has been portrayed in the films.

Screenwriter Paul Haggis has said Bond will be reinvented as a younger character with no gadgets. Brosnan, who appeared in four Bond films, is now 52.

Speculation over who will play 007 was rampant since the last Bond movie, Die Another Day, came out in 2002.

Big names such as Clive Owen, Ewan McGregor, Jude Law and Colin Farrell were all named as possible contenders.

Craig will follow in the footsteps of Pierce Brosnan, Sir Sean Connery, Sir Roger Moore, George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton.

David Niven appeared as Bond in an unofficial spoof version of Casino Royale in 1967.

linky

Personally, I am very very disappointed to see that they decided not to pick Pierce Brosnan for the next Bond movie. He didn't voluntarily quit Bond, they let him go, as they wanted a younger star. I really liked Brosnan as Bond, and have usually been excited about upcoming Bond films, but it's going to feel weird without Brosnan. He was perfect for the part.