Actor Daniel Craig, who made his last appearance as James Bond in the recently-released 25th film of the franchise, No Time to Die, is set to return to Broadway in 2022 with Macbeth, a stage adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play of the same name.
Craig will star in the new production alongside actor Ruth Negga. The play will have a limited 15-week run and performances will begin on March 29.
Macbeth will be produced by James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson.
Craig earlier starred in the 2016 Off-Broadway production of another Shakespeare play Othello at the New York Theatre Workshop, in which he essayed the role of the antagonist lago.
Meanwhile, No Time to Die had its world premiere in London’s Royal Albert Hall, on Tuesday. The film’s premiere was attended by members of the British royal family, including Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, as well as Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall Camilla Parker-Bowles.
The film, which also stars Rami Malek, Lea Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris, is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga. It was released in India on Thursday.
No Time to Die marks Craig’s exit from the franchise after filling the character’s shoes for 15 years. Actors who have earlier played the role of the iconic 007 agent include Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, and Timothy Dalton, among others.
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The film, that will release in the US on October 8, suffered several delays. Filmmaker Danny Boyle’s exit from the project had stalled the film first and the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic worsened the situation. Boyle was supposed to direct and co-write the screenplay with John Hodge. The film was pushed from October 2019 to April 2020, then to November 2020, and finally to 2021.
Craig has appeared in other James Bond films such as Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), and Spectre (2015). Skyfall remains the only Bond film to cross a billion dollars at the global box office and is the highest-grossing film in the series.
Actors such as Tom Hardy, Regé-Jean Page, Idris Elba, and Henry Cavill, are being considered for the role post Craig’s exit.