Daniel Craig’s time as James Bond 007 has come and gone. Craig played Bond for 15 years, from 2006 to 2021, making him the longest-serving Bond actor in terms of years. He starred in five official 007 films: Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015) and No Time to Die (2021).
Craig’s era as Bond (which began when he was 37 years old) was a bold reinvention of the franchise—grittier, more emotional, and intensely character-driven.
His debut shocked many fans—he was a blond Bond, lesser-known, and coming off a reboot. But Casino Royale silenced critics fast. It reintroduced Bond with rawness and vulnerability, showing him at the very start of his 00 career. The film was a critical and commercial hit, credited with revitalizing the franchise after Die Another Day (2002).
In the above special 45-minute retrospective, Craig opens up about his journey as Bond. Featuring never-before-seen archival footage from Casino Royale to No Time to Die, Craig shares personal memories in a conversation with 007 producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.
Press the top left play button on the above feature image to watch the retrospective.
The retrospective by director Ballie Walsh is pretty emotional and personal in parts, a bit like his final outing as the British secret agent was in No Time to Die, which gave Bond something never seen before in the franchise: a sense of closure. It explored fatherhood, love, and sacrifice—ending with Bond’s heroic death. It was a bold and divisive finale, but it cemented Craig’s legacy.
As Bond moves into new territory with new owners (Amazon MGM Studios now has creative control over the franchise), Craig will be remembered as the actor who helped transform the franchise from campy fun into prestige cinema without losing the signature Bond flair.
