Daniel Craig reportedly 'quits James Bond franchise for Purity TV series'

The actor infamously said he would rather ‘slash his wrists’ than play the spy again

Daniel Craig's James Bond in Casino Royal (Eon Productions)

Just days after bookies slashed the odds on War & Peace actor James Norton becoming the next Bond, 007 himself - Daniel Craig - has reportedly ‘quit’ as the MI6 spy.

The 47-year-old will allegedly be joining the cast of Purity which will run for several seasons, each lasting 20 episodes.

UPDATE: The Independent has learnt that a decision on whether Craig will return as Bond has not been reached, but if he does appear in Purity it does not necessarily mean he will not be back to play Bond.

Before the release of Spectre, the actor infamously said he would rather ‘slash his wrists’ than play the spy again, yet since then he has looked more fondly on the role. As reported in The Sun, it seems like he may not be returning to the role.

Producers at Sony have, on several occasions, said they are hoping to woo Craig back to play Bond once more, yet there has been no confirmation he will be back.

Numerous actors are tipped to play the iconic role once Craig finishes, including Tom Hardy, Damian Lewis, Henry Cavil and Idris Elba.

Purity, meanwhile, is based on the novel by Jonathan Franzen, and tells the tale of a young woman raised in unusual circumstances in Northern Carolina.

Variety has also reported that Craig will star in the show, adding that a bidding war is currently ongoing for the series, with Showtime, FX and Netflix all interested.

However, there is no mention of Craig stepping away from Bond, and The Sun may have taken an unguided leap in claiming he will no longer play the spy.

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Having made a name for himself on UK TV in the 90s, a role in Purity would mark Craig’s first role in a US TV series. Read who we think should be in contention to play Bond, here.