James Bond films have been setting the bar for spy movies since Sean Connery walked into the silver screen with his suave and charming swagger as Agent 007. The 1962 movie Dr. No, adapted from Ian Fleming’s 1958 eponymous novel, became the first of many to come. James Bond became a franchise beyond compare, with many other actors since Connery taking on the mantle of the British spy.
Currently, Eon Productions is busy choosing their next Bond, after Daniel Craig said goodbye to the character in 2021’s No Time to Die. With names like Henry Cavill, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Rege Jean-Page being thrown into the mix, it’s anyone’s guess who will win it in their favor. But do you know who got Daniel Craig his shot in the franchise?
Daniel Craig Was Suggested for James Bond By His Layer Cake Director
Daniel Craig did the movie Layer Cake in the year 2004, which was Matthew Vaughn’s directorial debut. The British crime movie did really well, and the actor-director duo got their due from the movie’s positive reception both critically and at the box office. This was also the movie that impressed Barbara Broccoli enough to cast Daniel Craig as the next James Bond.
But it wasn’t only that! Before Craig was cast for the role, it was Layer Cake director, Matthew Vaughn, who got a call from MGM about directing the next James Bond movie, Casino Royale. He went for a lunch with some executives from Eon Productions, where he was supposed to be offered the directorial position officially.
There, during the conversation, he mentioned Daniel Craig’s name for the role, with whom he had just recently worked. But according to Vaughn, the execs didn’t seem too keen on the actor. Speaking to Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the director revealed,
“We talked about who I’d cast, and I said ‘What about Daniel?’ And they’re like, we’re not sure about Daniel. And I was like, okay.”
Unfortunately, Vaughn was never offered the directorial position officially, which he had already gotten over the phone supposedly. He went in for the lunch with the studio execs from Eon with a head full of ideas, thinking he already had the job. But sadly, Vaughn had to return home disappointed.
Matthew Vaughn Said “they” Are Not Keen on Him
Vaughn, expectedly, was disappointed with the turn of events. Thinking you already have a gig, and then suddenly it’s gone the next day, would not be a pleasant experience for anyone. And when the project is as big as James Bond, and for a director whose niche is crime and spy movies, it would sting a bit more. He said that he was left confused after the lunch, and rang up the chairman of MGM immediately.
“So I went home thoroughly confused, and I rang up the chairman of MGM. And I said ‘What’s going on?’ And they said, ah, we spoke too soon, ‘you ain’t got it. And we’re going to cast Daniel.’ And I was like ‘oh, okay.’”
Hollywood is full of ups and downs, things can change in minutes. What you thought you had today, could be gone in the next, and that is exactly what happened with Matthew Vaughn. While his recommendation for Bond got the role, he himself was, in a way, betrayed. The director, when asked if he would ever attempt to make another James Bond movie, hesitated, before saying-
“I would say I’ve got more chance being cast as Bond than directing Bond.”
When asked why? He said- “Ask them. They’re not keen on me.” Seems like Vaughn has to make do with his own spy movies, like the Kingsman franchise, which have been doing pretty well for themselves. James Bond or now, he knows his spies well.
Matthew Vaughn’s latest directorial venture, Argylle, starring Henry Cavill, Dua Lipa, Sam Rockwell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Bryan Cranston, and more, is currently in theatres.
