Next Bond To Be Funnier?

Daniel Craig tells his friend and interviewer Sam Taylor Wood in the July issue of Interview that "[the Bond producers] just want more gags. The next one's going to be a lot funnier."

"Octopussy kind of gags?" she inquires.

"Yeah. Octopussy. Pussy Galore. They're all great names. But that's the thing; all the Bond jokes have been flipped on their heads, they've all gone beyond..." And then he trails off and talks about food as they're interrupted by a waiter. Was he being serious? Or just kidding around with a pal? The interview is very chummy and presents a much different Craig than the one we saw doing press for Casino Royale. Unfortunately it's impossible to tell his tone here. They've all gone beyond what, Daniel? Was he going to say that they were setting out to reclaim such name gags from Austin Powers-land, or that they were going to abandon them because of that? Only time will tell, I suppose. I think he's being honest, though. And I don't think it's a bad thing.

Casino Royale was great, and had the right tone to counteract Die Another Day, to reinvent Bond when he needed reinventing, as OHMSS and For Your Eyes Only had both done before at crucial moments. But now that he's "begun," Bond must grow into the character we know and love. And that means a little more humor than Royale offered up. I'm not advocating Octopussy levels myself (no Tarzan yells, please!), but a little bit more. After all, Fleming's Bond did have a sense of humor himself.

It's a good interview with some other choice Bond nuggets. Worth reading, for sure!