EXCLUSIVE: Daniel Craig has quit as Bond, according to Mark Strong

It seems Daniel Craig HAS fired his last Walther PPK as James Bond. At least that’s according to his good friend, the actor Mark Strong.

Strong was chatting with ShortList to promote upcoming comedy Grimsby, when the conversation got on to James Bond. We put it to Strong that he’d make an excellent addition to any Bond cast, when the star of Kingsman, Kick Ass and Body Of Lies revealed that such a move was unlikely, dropping the ultimate Bond bombshell.

He said: “Do you know what, I’d have loved to have played the villain in a Bond movie while Daniel was doing it because he’s a pal and that would have been great. But I think he’s come to the end of his Bond time and so it’s probably never going to happen, but that would have always been great. 

“Having played so many villains, it would have been wonderful to have done the villain of villains, if you like. Because a Bond villain has a status all of his own.”

ShortList asked Strong if he could talk his Our Friends In The North co-star into donning that iconic tuxedo one more time, but the beloved character actor felt such a move was unlikely, adding: “Well, I will try, believe me, I will do my best. But there are powers at work greater than us who make all these decisions.”

As ShortList sank to its knees and let out a loud, “Noooooo!” – after all, such a move would see Craig quit the role despite being contracted to one more outing as 007 – Strong agreed that his friend had indeed been a wonderful Bond.

“He has been [wonderful] and he’s loved it. But I think he feels like he’s mined it. He’s done what he wants with it. 

“That point has come.”

To read the full interview with Mark Strong, be sure to pick up a copy of ShortList magazine, out Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. Grimsby is in cinemas nationwide from 26 February

[Images: Rex, Allstar]