No Time to Die was the proper send-off for Daniel Craig after playing James Bond for almost two decades. It’s hard to say, but that almost didn’t happen. Before No Time to Die was announced, there were whispers 2015’s Spectre was Craig’s last Bond outing. The actor even hinted that the acclaimed film was his last. So, his return to the franchise was a surprise to many fans. Even his co-stars were thrown off by Craig’s return to the role. Spectre’s Léa Seydoux seemed to think the actor was done with playing 007.
The potential relationship between James Bond and Dr. Madeleine Swann was teased toward the end of Spectre. So, moviegoers were excited to see Léa Seydoux’s return for No Time to Die. But Seydoux never thought the story would play out after working on Spectre with Daniel Craig. The No Time to Die star commented to JoBlo over her surprise with Craig’s return to the Bond franchise.
I thought he was done with it. We didn't have really a party or something to celebrate and everything and I remember that Barbara Broccoli, one of the producers, she wouldn't let him go, she was like, ‘No Daniel, you will come back.’ I remember he was extremely tired, and I thought that he was just done with it. So, when they called me back five years later, which is quite some time, and they said, ‘Daniel is coming back. It's a secret. Don't tell anyone, but you'll be also part of the adventure,’ and then I was so happy, so happy to be back.
The actress' account painted the picture of a weary and exhausted Daniel Craig on the set of Spectre. Craig’s exhaustion was understandable, considering he had done four films over 10 years. Fighting villains, hopping over cars and running through explosions can become tiresome after a while. Craig was starting to feel some fatigue from doing intense action scenes over a few years. He probably felt like he had tapped into every facet of James Bond at that point.
So, Daniel Craig’s return as 007 was a pleasant surprise for devoted Bond fans. The actor’s return meant moviegoers would get to see Léa Seydoux once again. Bond fans got to see his and Dr. Swann’s relationship carry over to No Time to Die. This rarity in the Bond franchise made Craig’s swan song even more special.
With No Time to Die being Daniel Craig’s final outing, it was nice to see him and Léa Seydoux share the screen once more. Maybe that’s something the next James Bond could do once they’re announced. At least, Craig got to finish on a high note. Now, viewers can watch Craig become Bond once more with his swan song currently playing in theaters.
