British actor Daniel Craig will lead “Knives Out” while Bond 25 remains in pre-production. Image: AFP/Tiziana Fabi via AFP Relaxnews
With the 25th James Bond film now uncertain, lead actor Daniel Craig has been cast as a detective in “Knives Out”, co-written and directed by “Star Wars” man Rian Johnson.
After director Danny Boyle left James Bond film 25 in August, Craig has been chosen to lead “Knives Out” in the meantime, a project that has “Star Wars” and “Brick” director Johnson working from a script he co-wrote with producer and frequent collaborator Ram Bergman.
Bond 25 was previously anticipated to begin filming in December but “Knives Out” is now able to begin its shoot in November with Craig on board.
Johnson and Bergman, who are funding “Knives Out” through their own independent production company, are presenting the project to potential distributors at the Toronto International Film Festival, which runs Sept. 6 to 16.
Johnson’s first feature, 2006 release and film festival success “Brick”, starred Joseph Gordon-Levitt and was about a high-schooler looking into his ex-girlfriend’s sudden and unexpected disappearance.
He followed up with 2009 con-man comedy “The Brothers Bloom”, 2012 JGL and Bruce Willis sci-fi crime thriller “Looper” and then 2017’s “Star Wars” saga entry “The Last Jedi”.
He is also heavily involved in a new “Star Wars” trilogy being prepared for introduction after 2019’s provisionally titled “Episode IX”.
Daniel Craig has portrayed James Bond since 2006’s “Casino Royale”, going on to lead “Quantum of Solace” (2008), “Skyfall” (2012) and “Spectre” (2015).
He appeared in 2017’s crime comedy “Logan Lucky” with “Star Wars” actor Adam Driver and in crime drama “Kings” with ex-James Bond actress Halle Berry, and had a cameo appearance as a stormtrooper in 2015’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”.
In addition to “Knives Out”, he has 20-episode Showtime drama “Purity” in the works, adapted from the Jonathan Franzen novel, and which had been expected to shoot after Bond 25, prior to the latter’s latest bout of pre-production turbulence. JB
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