Entertainment
John Boyega: ‘Daniel Craig should have stayed — I’m not mad at an older James Bond’-Rishma Dosani-Entertainment – Metro
John Boyega really didn’t want Daniel Craig to leave the James Bond role (Picture: Getty)
John Boyega has spoken out over the next James Bond, revealing he wanted Daniel Craig to remain in the role.
The Queer star appeared in five films during his stint as 007, and announced his exit from the franchise with the release of No Time To Die in 2021.
Ever since then, speculation has been rife over who could possibly step into the superspy’s perfectly tailored suit, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Idris Elba, Taron Egerton and Lucien Laviscount all linked to the part.
Boyega shared his thoughts on the rumors with Metro, after previously shutting down the idea that a Black actor would ever be cast.
Asked if he would be interested in a turn as the leading man, the 32-year-old said: ‘You can only really answer that question when the opportunity actually lands in your lap and could work.
‘I can’t even fathom if that would ever be an option. Bonds over the years are just very specific. I love the Bond movies. I don’t know what creative lane Barbara and the guys are taking…. No one really knows.’
Daniel played 007 in five films across 15 years (Picture: Shutterstock)
He stepped away from the franchise after 2021’s No Time To Die (Picture: Getty)
‘But I think it’s fun that the fans get to interact and see who they would prefer to take over the mantle.’
Despite Craig’s Bond dying in the final moments of No Time To Die, Boyega said he would have been keen to see more from him on the big screen.
‘I still think Daniel should have done at least two more,’ he said. ‘I’m not mad at an older Bond. [If] you go so young. I’m like, “Isn’t that a rebrand of the whole franchise?” I wonder how they would creatively do that.’
As well as Bond, Boyega has been faced with a stream of fan theories that he will be unveiled as part of a new Marvel or DC superhero movie after getting himself in the gym for an as yet unannounced role.
John has a string of projects on the way (Picture: WireImage)
However, he was quick to pour cold water on the chatter. He said while there are ‘a good few projects’ he is tied to that ‘require some kind of physical ability’, they are ‘not Marvel, not DC, not a superhero character’.
Although there are no superheroes in his future, the They Cloned Tyrone lead will be hard at work on an upcoming biopic of Otis Redding and, of course, the Attack the Block sequel with Jodie Whittaker – which director Joe Cornish is working on right now.
Spilling the beans on how that is coming along, he said: ‘We’re still in the can. I can’t say much, Joe’s got a choke machine around me. He’s still in the lab making sure that the sequel makes sense.
‘But I’ve read it, I love it! We’re not at the stage where we don’t have a script, we have our scripts, we have our director, we have plans and I’m looking forward to get shooting. I’m excited!’
He recently stripped off for a stunning stint in the Pirelli calendar (Picture: Ethan James Green / Pirelli)
Until then, John will be busy promoting the Pirelli calendar, alongside fellow industry icons Jodie Turner-Smith, Vincent Cassel, Padma Lakshmi and Jenny Shimizu.
Idris, Bella and Gigi Hadid, Kristen Stewart and Cher are just a some of the superstars who have modeled for the calendar in the past, but John shared that the women in his life – his sister and Jodie in particular – who encouraged him to take part this year.
‘Knowing there was another side to it, and that it had such an illustrious history, I think it’s cool to be a part of something like that. And also, I liked what they were celebrating too,’ he said of working with photographer Ethan James Green, who wanted to return to the ‘sexy’ roots of the annual project.
John shared that he was ‘so comfortable’ in front of Ethan’s camera (Picture: Ethan James Green / Pirelli)
‘I was at the beginning stages of my weight loss regime that I’m training for, for next year’s projects, and I didn’t really feel physically ready for a calendar.
‘[I thought] everyone has to look buff and ripped. They were like, “No, it’s about celebrating the differences of people, the beauty and how it’s defined so differently.”
‘Okay, well, I’m going to get my belly out then. We shot it and they made me so comfortable. Ethan having so much experience as a model himself, I felt good enough to come down to Miami and be part of it.’
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
John Boyega really didn’t want Daniel Craig to leave the James Bond role (Picture: Getty)
John Boyega has spoken out over the next James Bond, revealing he wanted Daniel Craig to remain in the role.
The Queer star appeared in five films during his stint as 007, and announced his exit from the franchise with the release of No Time To Die in 2021.
Ever since then, speculation has been rife over who could possibly step into the superspy’s perfectly tailored suit, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Idris Elba, Taron Egerton and Lucien Laviscount all linked to the part.
Boyega shared his thoughts on the rumors with Metro, after previously shutting down the idea that a Black actor would ever be cast.
Asked if he would be interested in a turn as the leading man, the 32-year-old said: ‘You can only really answer that question when the opportunity actually lands in your lap and could work.
‘I can’t even fathom if that would ever be an option. Bonds over the years are just very specific. I love the Bond movies. I don’t know what creative lane Barbara and the guys are taking…. No one really knows.’
Daniel played 007 in five films across 15 years (Picture: Shutterstock)
He stepped away from the franchise after 2021’s No Time To Die (Picture: Getty)
‘But I think it’s fun that the fans get to interact and see who they would prefer to take over the mantle.’
Despite Craig’s Bond dying in the final moments of No Time To Die, Boyega said he would have been keen to see more from him on the big screen.
‘I still think Daniel should have done at least two more,’ he said. ‘I’m not mad at an older Bond. [If] you go so young. I’m like, “Isn’t that a rebrand of the whole franchise?” I wonder how they would creatively do that.’
As well as Bond, Boyega has been faced with a stream of fan theories that he will be unveiled as part of a new Marvel or DC superhero movie after getting himself in the gym for an as yet unannounced role.
John has a string of projects on the way (Picture: WireImage)
However, he was quick to pour cold water on the chatter. He said while there are ‘a good few projects’ he is tied to that ‘require some kind of physical ability’, they are ‘not Marvel, not DC, not a superhero character’.
Although there are no superheroes in his future, the They Cloned Tyrone lead will be hard at work on an upcoming biopic of Otis Redding and, of course, the Attack the Block sequel with Jodie Whittaker – which director Joe Cornish is working on right now.
Spilling the beans on how that is coming along, he said: ‘We’re still in the can. I can’t say much, Joe’s got a choke machine around me. He’s still in the lab making sure that the sequel makes sense.
‘But I’ve read it, I love it! We’re not at the stage where we don’t have a script, we have our scripts, we have our director, we have plans and I’m looking forward to get shooting. I’m excited!’
He recently stripped off for a stunning stint in the Pirelli calendar (Picture: Ethan James Green / Pirelli)
Until then, John will be busy promoting the Pirelli calendar, alongside fellow industry icons Jodie Turner-Smith, Vincent Cassel, Padma Lakshmi and Jenny Shimizu.
Idris, Bella and Gigi Hadid, Kristen Stewart and Cher are just a some of the superstars who have modeled for the calendar in the past, but John shared that the women in his life – his sister and Jodie in particular – who encouraged him to take part this year.
‘Knowing there was another side to it, and that it had such an illustrious history, I think it’s cool to be a part of something like that. And also, I liked what they were celebrating too,’ he said of working with photographer Ethan James Green, who wanted to return to the ‘sexy’ roots of the annual project.
John shared that he was ‘so comfortable’ in front of Ethan’s camera (Picture: Ethan James Green / Pirelli)
‘I was at the beginning stages of my weight loss regime that I’m training for, for next year’s projects, and I didn’t really feel physically ready for a calendar.
‘[I thought] everyone has to look buff and ripped. They were like, “No, it’s about celebrating the differences of people, the beauty and how it’s defined so differently.”
‘Okay, well, I’m going to get my belly out then. We shot it and they made me so comfortable. Ethan having so much experience as a model himself, I felt good enough to come down to Miami and be part of it.’
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
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