Daniel Craig reveals he came up with James Bond death straight after Casino Royale release

‘If we kill Bond, we can begin again,’ Craig explained

Daniel Craig has admitted that he’d been plotting James Bond’s death almost since his inception as the character.

The actor shocked Bond fans in No Time to Die when the world’s most famous spy was dramatically killed off at the end of the movie – a first in the long-running franchise.

Speaking to The Times, Craig recalled a conversation he had with Bond’s megaproducer Barbara Brocolli while leaving the 2006 premiere of Casino Royale.

“I had genuinely thought I would do one Bond movie, then it would be over,” he said.

“But by then we knew we had a hit on our hands. I realised the enormity of it, so I said to Barbara, ‘How many more? Three? Four?’ She said, ‘Four!’ I said, ‘OK. Then can I kill him off?’ She said, ‘Yes.’”

15 years and four films later, Craig had his wish. “If we kill Bond, we can begin again,” Craig explained.

“I think Barbara thought that too. But, bless them, the studio, MGM, were, like, ‘What are you talking about? Are you out of your minds?’ There was reluctance. So we had to do it in secret, really.”

Daniel Craig in ‘No Time to Die’ (PA Media)

In No Time to Die, Bond is blown up on an island after being infected with nanobots that would kill his loved ones. The ending was dreamt up by Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge who Craig asked to “sprinkle magic dust” on the script.

“Real tragedy is when you have absolutely no choice,” the actor said. “We had to find a way to make his death no choice. It was the happiest Bond had ever been because he’d found exactly what he was looking for. Like everyone on Earth, he was just looking for love.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Craig appeared to suggest that his Knives Out character Benoit Blanc’s homosexuality mirrored experiences in his own life.

“You are supposed to reflect life. And that [gay] relationship reflects my life,” he was quoted as saying. However, The Times’ piece has now been updated to read: “You are supposed to reflect life. And that [gay] relationship reflects people in my life.”

Craig’s representatives declined to comment.