James Bond fans: Daniel Craig is returning as 007!
The British actor officially confirmed the news on Tuesday night’s episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, adding, “I think this is it. I just want to go out on a high note. I can’t wait.”
“I have been quite cagey about it. I have been doing interviews all day and people have been asking me and I think I’ve been rather coy. But kind of felt like if I was going to speak the truth I should speak truth to you.”
Colbert then says: ‘We could use some good news here. Daniel Craig, will you return as James Bond?’
The actor then replies: “Yes.”
The one word was met by ecstatic cheering in the studio audience.
“I always wanted to, I wanted a break,” Craig continued, referring to the iconic character that launched him into stardom.
Craig expressed reluctance to reprise his role when promoting Spectre in 2015, admitting he couldn’t think about a new Bond film at the time.
But Craig hinted that it would be his last outing as the famous fictional secret agent.
Within the last few days he had said no deal had been struck over the next 007 instalment, which is due out in 2019. He told US radio station Magic that he would “love to do it” but was weighing up “personal decisions”.
Craig has so far appeared in four Bond films – Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre.
When Colbert pressed Craig about the comments the actor made in 2015, shortly after filming Spectre, when he told a reporter he would rather “slit my wrists” than take on the role of Bond one last time, Craig explained, “Instead of saying something with style and grace, I said something really stupid.”
The untitled Bond film will reportedly open in U.S. theaters on November 8, 2019.
