Daniel Craig Recalls ‘Nightmare’ of Making Bond Film Quantum of Solace: ‘The Storytelling Wasn’t There’

Daniel Craig does not have fond memories of making his second James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace.

Craig, 56, spoke to his experiences portraying the iconic British spy character during his appearance on the latest episode of The Hollywood Reporter‘s Awards Chatter podcast. When it came time to discuss Quantum of Solace, the actor described the 2008 sequel to 2006’s Casino Royale as a “difficult second album.” 

“F—— nightmare,” he said, when THR noted that the movie was made during a Hollywood writers’ strike. Craig stated that the movie “didn’t have a script” when they began production.

“We probably should never have gone and started production, but we did. I ended up writing a lot of that film — I probably shouldn’t really say, and I do not want a credit, it’s fine — but we were in that state because that’s what we’re allowed to do,” he said. “I was allowed to work. Under WGA rules we were allowed to work with a director and write scenes. But there’s some amazing stunt sequences in that, and I’m still bearing the pins to prove it, so in that sense there’s a lot of great stuff in it, but it just didn’t quite work.”

“The storytelling wasn’t there,” he added. “And that’s the abject lesson: going to start a movie without a script, it’s just — not a good idea.”

Quantum of Solace finds Bond reeling after the death of his love interest Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) in the climax of Casino Royale. Despite the difficulties Craig faced making that movie, the actor went on to reprise his role as Bond three more times, including 2012’s Skyfall, 2015’s Spectre and 2021’s No Time to Die.  The series’ producers are actively working on rebooting the franchise with a new actor, though no casting announcement has yet been made.

Other amusing Bond anecdotes Craig offered during the podcast included the revelation that he drunkenly offered filmmaker Sam Mendes the director’s job for Skyfall after seeing him at Hugh Jackman’s Christmas party in New York City. 

“I was like, ‘Oh, Sam, so nice to see you,’ and sat down and chatted with him — and drunk, offered him the job. I then phoned [producer Barbara Broccoli] the following day and went, ‘I think I might have offered Sam Mendes the next movie.’ And she actually just went, ‘Will he do it?'”

When asked who his favorite Bond was, besides himself — and whom Craig thinks would make the best man for the role next — the actor simply said, “Sean Connery, and I don’t give a s—.”