According to The New York Times, Eon Productions (the company that produces the James Bond movies) and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (which holds the franchise rights) announced on Monday that the 25th movie in the James Bond franchise will arrive in US theaters on November 8th, 2019. And in spite of everything he has said in the in the two years since production wrapped on Spectre, Daniel Craig will reportedly return to play James Bond at least one more time in the untitled film.
Along with confirming the release date for the film, Eon and MGM also revealed that Neal Purvis and Robert Wade will pen the script. Purvis and Wade have written each of the past six Bond movies, dating back to The World is Not Enough in 1999 and including all of Craig’s appearances.
Eon and MGM said in a statement that Bond 25’s cast, director, distribution partner and international release dates will be announced “at a later date,” but two people familiar with the proceedings claim that Craig will return for his fifth (and possibly final?) Bond movie in 2019.
In an interview with England’s Time Out magazine back in October 2015, Craig said the following when asked if he could imagine doing another Bond movie after spending half a year filming Spectre:
Now? I’d rather break this glass and slash my wrists. No, not at the moment. Not at all. That’s fine. I’m over it at the moment. We’re done. All I want to do is move on.
Craig went on to explain that he was exhausted when that interview was conducted, and that he would consider playing Bond again. But, understandably, there was some consternation over whether he’d actually agree to take on the role again if he were offered the job. And it sounds like he’s in.
