Daniel Craig is stepping away from 007 to host Saturday Night Live on March 7, but he's not leaving James Bond entirely behind in a new promo for his hosting gig. Even though the next film in the Bond franchise was just pushed back to a fall premiere, Craig is making a spring return to SNL, and the SNL cast members are paying the price. Apparently, the James Bond actor can't stop breaking out the James Bond moves!
Prepare to see some SNL cast members in pain in this promo for Daniel Craig's March 7 hosting gig and check it out:
Note to self if ever around Daniel Craig: even if he offers to do silly accents and just have fun, don't offer your arm, don't join him in an elevator, don't be afraid to name-drop Lorne Michaels to get out of James Bond-esque torture, and don't look like Beck Bennett. Aidy Bryant and Chris Redd seemed to learn their lesson about approaching Craig, but Bennett went back for more. R.I.P. Beck Bennett's arm and sternum!
In all seriousness, Daniel Craig's desire to move on from the James Bond franchise (and what he thinks of Bond himself) didn't stop him from showing off his 007 skills for a mini sketch hyping his Saturday Night Live hosting gig. Kudos to Beck Bennett, Aidy Bryant, and Chris Redd for stepping up to play Craig's SNL victims for this promo.
The sound effects really sell Beck Bennett's fake broken arm and Chris Redd's torture position, while Aidy Bryant's "injury" seemed the most minor. That said, her scream of fake pain and shock was the best of the the three to me.
Throw in Daniel Craig's lighthearted comments to the camera contrasted with his "attacks" and the peaceful music, and I think it's safe to say March 7's broadcast should be an especially fun episode of Saturday Night Live, with musical guest The Weeknd.
The next James Bond movie, called No Time To Die and boasting a surprisingly long run time, now won't release for several more months due to the coronavirus outbreak, so this could be the closest thing Bond fans get to fresh 007 material starring Daniel Craig for a while.
Of course, Daniel Craig's March 7 SNL gig was timed to promote No Time To Die's original April premiere date, and the film is now scheduled for November. While that's unfortunate for fans who have been on the edges of their seats waiting for the movie, maybe it means Craig could return to host SNL again closer to the November release!
Daniel Craig did actually host SNL once already, so why not bring him back for a third time? Take a look at one of his Bond sketches from his 2012 hosting gig:
Daniel Craig may not like the term "Bond girl," but his participation in the "Bond Girls" sketch is definitely worth some laughs! Will his March 7 episode as host feature more Bond sketches? That's pretty likely considering how it was originally timed to promote No Time To Die, although the film being pushed back could result in some jokes about the delay. Craig also starred in another big film recently, so maybe some Knives Out spoof material will hit the airwaves as well.
Find out when Daniel Craig hosts his second episode of Saturday Night Live on March 7 at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC. For some additional viewing options now and in the not-too-distant future, check out our 2020 winter and spring premiere schedule.
