Twenty years after Daniel Craig first stepped into James Bond's tuxedo in Casino Royale, the film is being celebrated as a turning point for the franchise. But Craig's casting in 2005 was met with a wave of backlash from fans and the press, who questioned his suitability for the iconic role.
Craig went on to play Bond in four more films, culminating with 2021's No Time To Die, and became many fans' favourite ever Bond. Yet things didn't start smoothly for the actor, who faced intense scrutiny from the British press and Bond fans alike.
Why Bond needed a reboot
Following the release of 2002's Die Another Day, longtime Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson felt the franchise had become too fantastical and outlandish. In a post-9/11 world, they believed a grittier and more grounded Bond was needed.
The hunt for a new Bond began, with reportedly over 200 actors considered, including Michael Fassbender, Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, and Henry Cavill. Casting director Debbie McWilliams told the Radio Times: 'We did look at a lot of younger actors, and I just don't think they had the gravitas, they didn't have the experience, they didn't have the mental capacity to take it on, because it's not just the part they're taking on, it's a massive responsibility.'
It was when Barbara Broccoli happened to get a glimpse of Matthew Vaughn's film Layer Cake that Craig began to enter the conversation, and with the enthusiastic backing of one of the film's lead producers, the next Bond seemed to have been found.
The backlash and the triumph
On October 14, 2005, Daniel Craig, then 37, was officially announced as the next James Bond. The reaction from the press and fans was less than enthusiastic. The Daily Mirror ran his photo with the headline 'the name's Bland… James Bland', while online sites and forums quickly appeared with names like DanielCraigIsNotBond, CraigNotBond, and blondNotBond.
The scrutiny continued into filming, with The Sun reporting in January 2006 that Craig was getting sunburnt while filming in the Bahamas, and other headlines claiming he didn't know how to drive stick. Broccoli told Variety in 2006: 'His teeth are fine, he doesn't have heat rash, and he's not afraid of the water.'
Despite the grumblings, Casino Royale premiered on November 14, 2006, and went on to gross over $600 million (£452.4m) worldwide. Much of its success was attributed to Craig, with Roger Ebert calling him 'superb' and Time Out New York hailing him as 'the best Bond in the franchise's history.' Roger Moore wrote in The Times: 'Craig impressed me so greatly in his debut outing… that I thought Sean [Connery] might just have to move over.' Craig also received a Bafta nomination for best actor, a first for any Bond performance.
What the next Bond can learn
One lesson from Craig's casting is clear: no matter who the new Bond is, there will be a loud corner of fans and the press who simply won't agree with it. Casting director McWilliams said: 'There isn't an absolute ideal mould. There never would be and never should be, because otherwise, it just becomes boring.'
As for what to do with the noise, the example set by Broccoli and Craig was to ignore it. Craig never dyed his hair when playing James Bond, and simply delivered an interpretation of the character that, for the most part, blew fans away. Casino Royale is back in select cinemas across the UK from October 5, 2026.
