“It does sort of indicate that he’s twisted”: Daniel Craig Wanted To Explore the “Dark Underbelly” of James Bond Due To One Scene From a 007 Novel

“It does sort of indicate that he’s twisted”: Daniel Craig Wanted To Explore the “Dark Underbelly”
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Daniel Craig changed the world when he portrayed the character of James Bond in the 2006 movie Casino Royale. Beating competitors like Henry Cavill and Christian Bale, Craig became the one whom the world would call Bond for the next 16 years until 2021.

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Talking about one of the most iconic characters of all time, Daniel Craig revealed that he had explored James Bond’s novels before he was cast in the role. The Knives Out actor stated that there were some moments that were too dark to be shown in films but he loved that about the 007 agent!

Daniel Craig in a still from Casino Royale (2006)
Daniel Craig in a still from Casino Royale (2006)

Daniel Craig Wanted To Explore James Bond’s Dark Side

With his role in Casino Royale, Daniel Craig started getting fame and attention as the new James Bond. Continuing his portrayal, the Knives Out actor took a deep dive into the world of the 007 agent and especially, reading between the lines.

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Daniel Craig as James Bond
Daniel Craig as James Bond

Also read: “I thought I’d lost my job”: Daniel Craig was Scared Out of His Mind After Receiving a Strange Call From James Bond Producer in the Middle of the Night

Talking about the morality of James Bond, Craig revealed to The Guardian that there were several moments from the novels that they were unable to show in the movies. Talking about how Bond was a morally gray person, Daniel Craig revealed that the novel that influenced Bond the most was Live and Let Die.

“It’s probably Live and Let Die, because I read it first – it was my first one at the cinema and there were lots of differences. He goes to the quartermaster in the book and pulls out his gun and what are basically speed pills.”

He further continued,

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“And you think: “Oh, right, wow, OK: a gun and some speed pills, that’s a safe combination.” But it does sort of indicate that he’s twisted. There’s a kind of dark underbelly that we can’t show in the movies but I want to be there.”

His era began as soon as it ended for the actor since Craig couldn’t believe that he was given the incredible opportunity to portray the role of James Bond.

Suggested: “Does this make me a Bond girl?”: Rami Malek’s Breathtaking Experience Being Kissed By Daniel Craig Made Him Tackle Some Serious Questions

Daniel Craig Couldn’t Believe He Was Bond!

Daniel Craig as James Bond in a still from No Time To Die
Daniel Craig as James Bond in a still from No Time To Die

Related: “To make a fool of yourself is kind of important”: James Bond Star Andrew Scott Screwed Up His One Big Shot, Felt Too Intimidated By Daniel Craig’s $880.7M Film

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After the character’s demise in No Time to Die, Craig felt finally relieved from the shackles of playing the role of Bond. After the film was released, Craig hit the moment of retrospect and talked to The Guardian where he wasn’t able to believe that he was indeed James Bond for 16 years.

“I don’t know. I’m very fortunate to have been given Benoit Blanc [in Knives Out] to play with. I can’t quite believe I’m James Bond; I can’t quite believe I’m Benoit Blanc, but it’s true.”

Daniel Craig’s last portrayal of James Bond can be seen in the 2021 film No Time to Die. The film received a rating of 7.3/10 on IMDB and 83% on Rotten Tomatoes. No Time to Die is available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.

Source: The Guardian

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Written by Visarg Acharya

Articles Published: 2094

Visarg Acharya, Associate Content Writer, has been heavily involved in movies, series, and history. Having an experience of 2 years in the field of content writing, Visarg is a seasoned writer. Having a degree in Physics, Visarg Acharya has published a dissertation alongside a plethora of poems and short stories along the way.