Actor Daniel Craig, who plays James Bond, has defended the decision to delay keenly anticipated film “No Time To Die” to April 2021.
“This thing is just bigger than all of us,” Craig said, while appearing on “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon,” on Oct. 5, celebrated as James Bond Day, commemorating the release date of the first Bond film “Dr. No” in 1962.
“We just want people to go and see this movie in the right way, in a safe way,” Craig said. “Cinemas all around the world are closed at the moment. We want to release the movie at the same time all around the world, and this isn’t the right time.”
“So, fingers crossed, April 2 is going to be our day,” Craig said.
Speaking about his experience while playing the iconic character, Craig said, “I’ve given it everything I can. I’m so glad that I came back and did this last one. We had lots of loose threads we hadn’t tied up. The story just didn’t feel complete… I needed a break, I truly admit it.
“I just needed to get my head away from it for a while and once I had, we started talking about storylines and things that we could do, and where we could take it,” said the actor, who noted that his advice for the next Bond is, “Don’t f**k it up. It is a beautiful, amazing thing.”
Craig spoke about wanting to finish the story that began with “Casino Royale,” which rebooted the franchise in 2006. The actor recalled that when he got news of his being cast as Bond 15 years ago, he was shooting with Nicole Kidman in Baltimore. He was buying groceries at the time when he got the call. He pushed his cart aside and bought all the fixings for a martini.
“I’d never had a martini before,” said Craig. “I’d never mixed myself a martini, I’d never actually drunk a martini before.”
Later on the show, Billie Eilish performed the title track from “No Time To Die.”