No Time to Die was supposed to be the last James Bond movie for Daniel Craig. Since he first took the role in 2007, Craig's time with the character has been fascinating, and it was interesting to see how it would end this time after seemingly coming to an end with Spectre.
Craig, director Cary Joji Fukunaga, and producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson talk about how the ending and Craig's sendoff was crafted in an interview with Variety.
James Bond dies at the end of the film. Bond was injected with a bio weapon that would kill his lover and any of her relatives, including their young daughter, so he ordered an airstrike on the island to make sure the virus wouldn't be replicated again. It is the first time that the fate of the character has changed in 59 years.
Craig wanted his time as the character to go so he came up with the ending. He talked to Broccoli after the premiere of Casino. He knew how he wanted to leave after learning he had four films in his contract. I went, okay. Is it possible to kill him off in the last one? Craig recalled. It was the only way I could see myself ending it all and making it like that was my tenure.
Even though Craig didn't bring it up again until this film, Broccoli accepted his proposal. It made sense for the character to go out this way for Wilson, who has been a producer on every Bond film since 1972's Moonraker. Ian Fleming almost killed off the spy in From Russia with Love and You Only Live Twice. Wilson and the team were aware that this was going to happen eventually. He said the odds would catch up with you eventually. Everyone thought it was important for the audience to know that the character's trademark luck can only go so far.
Bond's death was decided before Fukunaga was brought on to direct, but the method was up to him. Bond was shot by an anonymous bullet, Fukunaga said. Fukunaga found it fitting, but both he and Craig knew it had to be a situation they couldn't escape, with the actor stressing that it had to have weight. We would have found a different way of ending it.
No Time to Die can be rented or owned.
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