Daniel Craig promises thrilling finale to Bond series in '007 No Time to Die'

Actor Daniel Craig in a scene from "007 No Time to Die" / Courtesy of Universal Pictures

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Actor Daniel Craig said he has mixed emotions about leaving James Bond behind after starring in five installments of the epic spy film series over 15 years.

“It's been an incredible journey for me. I've spent a large part of my life making these movies. I'm incredibly proud of this movie as I am with all of the films, but this one especially. We did our absolute best and this movie is no better way to top off my years into James Bond,” he told Korean reporters during an online press conference, Wednesday.

The 53-year-old actor confessed that by the end of “Spectre” (2015), he was ready to pack it in and leave his role. He was in the process of figuring out a story to end it and then director Cary Joji Fukunaga came on board, putting his “magic into it.”

“The job was to complete the story and it made me look back at the first film, Casino Royale (2006). If that's sort of the starting chapter, how does the final chapter relate to that? What is it that's made him who he is?” Fukunaga said.

“It was just an exploration of someone who's been through so many missions and has done so much killing. What does that do to you by this point in your life? What makes that heart beat still?” the director asked rhetorically.

Craig has played Bond in five movies, after initially taking up the role in 2006 when he played 007 in “Casino Royale.”

Asked which of the five installments he feels particularly fond of, he said, “I would have to go back to Casino Royale because I was very naive and green. I promise you the thrill I got walking onto the set in Casino Royale hasn't diminished at all. In fact, I got a bigger thrill walking onto the set of No Time to Die.”

Craig explained that the charm of James Bond movies lies not only in great storytelling, but in jaw-dropping action sequences.

“What I love about the action sequences in this film is that they're not obvious. The action sequences can't stop the narrative. They must continue the narrative, and Cary does that beautifully in the movie,” he said.

Lea Seydoux, who portrays Bond's love interest, Dr. Madeleine Swann, in the film, explained that her character has also evolved, just like Daniel's character.

“In 'No Time to Die,' it's the first time that you'll see that we have a view into her childhood. She's a real character. She's not here only to please Bond,” she said.

"I think Cary wanted Madeleine to be a more developed,” Seydoux added. “That's why in the beginning of the film, we get to know her a bit more. We see her with her mother, and we understand why she's damaged, and I think that was also important to be able to understand the relationship she has with Bond."

Actor Rami Malek speaks during an online press conference with Korean reporters, Wednesday. Courtesy of Universal Pictures

Actor Rami Malek, who newly joined the project to play the villain, explained that audiences would be able to feel the same kind of exhilaration, tension and suspense as they did in “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2018), in which he played the lead role, and which spawned a massive fan base in Korea. “All the things you get from a great movie are in here,” he said.

On creating a new character, the Oscar-winning actor said that he thought about what obstacles he could put in Bond's way that systematically break him down.

“I felt like I would be doing a disservice to Daniel and his legacy and to No Time to Die, if I were just to grab one element from every other villain and make some sort of amalgamation,” he said.

“I want you to see him as pure evil. I don't know if he considers himself a hero or a villain. I don't think he cares. Like Bond, in a sense, he's not out for personal glory. He's just quite pragmatic in his evil nature.”

Lashana Lynch talked about making history as the first Black female 007, having inherited that title while Bond is in exile, and how James Bond movies differ from other spy movies.

“They don't repeat ideas easily. They churn out new things, reflect the world. They care about their old fans and new fans. They get to the root of everyone's mind,” she said.

“Their connectivity is really powerful and that's because they hired the best cast, the best creatives, stunt teams, sound engineers and everyone involved.”

“007 No Time to Die” hits local theaters, Sept. 29.