Daniel Craig, who played iconic role of James Bond in five films, has given his first statement on Amazon's recent takeover of the 007 franchise.
The Skyfall actor expressed his admiration and support for long-time producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, who stepped back from the 007 franchise on Thursday.
“My respect, admiration and love for Barbara and Michael remain constant and undiminished,” Craig told Variety.
He further added, “I wish Michael a long, relaxing (and well deserved) retirement and whatever ventures Barbara goes on to do, I know they will be spectacular and I hope I can be part of them.”
Craig's comments come after Amazon MGM announced a joint venture with Broccoli and Wilson to house the James Bond intellectual property rights.
As per agreement, the three parties will remain co-owners of the franchise, but Amazon will have creative control over future projects.
In the statement, Wilson, who has co-written the scripts for some of the Bond films along with producing them, said, "With my 007 career spanning nearly 60 incredible years, I am stepping back from producing the James Bond films to focus on art and charitable projects.”
Meanwhile, Broccoli noted, “With the conclusion of No Time to Die and Michael retiring from the films, I feel it is time to focus on my other projects.”
To note, Daniel Craig stepped down as James Bond after the release of No Time to Die in 2021.
