Daniel Craig teases next James Bond with cryptic joke at 2024 Governors Awards

Daniel Craig teased who the next James Bond could be on Sunday when he made a cryptic joke at the 2024 Governors Awards.

The actor, 56, who played 007 in five films from 2006 to 2021, joined the ongoing debate as he presented an award on stage at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.

While honoring producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson with the Irving G Thalberg Memorial Award, he said that “the next James Bond could be in the room.”

Previous reports suggested that Aaron-Taylor Johnson and Theo James could be next in line to take on the iconic role.

“Let’s get something out of the way,” Daniel began.

The actor, 56, who played 007 in five films from 2006 to 2021, joined the ongoing debate as he presented an award on stage at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles (pictured in 2015’s Spectre).

‘If you’ve come here tonight to find out who the next James Bond is, don’t look at me, but he might be in the room. I’m just kidding. Maybe I’m not’ PEOPLE report.

Daniel hung up his bow tie and tuxedo three years ago and has since taken on more experimental roles, ranging from a funny camp sleuth with a Southern accent to a man who falls in love with a drug addict in 1940s Mexico City.

He will next star in Queer, an adaptation of a novella by American writer William Burroughs.

The actor plays an American, William Lee, living in Mexico City, who becomes sexually obsessed with a former sailor, Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey).

At a special screening of the film in San Francisco on Monday, Daniel was joined by producer Luca Guadagnino and Julia Roberts.

He wore a leather bomber jacket that he paired with quirky pants and a cream-colored scarf.

The James Bond actor spent months taking dance and exercise lessons with Starkey, whose drug addict character Eugene was based on Adelbert Lewis Marker.

“There’s nothing like a good dance to break the ice,” the two-time Golden Globe nominee said AND on Wednesday.

While honoring producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson with the Irving G Thalberg Memorial Award, he said ‘the next James Bond could be in the room’ (pictured on Monday)

Daniel hung up his bow tie and tuxedo three years ago and will next star in Queer

At a special screening of the film in San Francisco on Monday, Daniel was joined by producer Luca Guadagnino and Julia Roberts

“I think it did all kinds of things. It made us bond very quickly because neither of us are dancers and we both had to go through the pain barrier to get into a good position. It was very important to us.’

Queer will open in select US theaters on November 27 and UK theaters on December 13. Currently, the film has an approval rating of 78% (out of 68 reviews) on Rotten Tomatoes.

Last week, Daniel gave a very blunt three-word answer when asked who he wants to play in the next James Bond.

While the rumor mill is buzzing with speculation about who will take over for him, Daniel has made his feelings known about a new casting – albeit bluntly.

Variety Daniel and his Queer co-star Drew Starkey wondered on Thursday: “If you were to pass the James Bond torch, who would you like to see play him?”

The question prompted a laugh from the Knives Out star as he replied matter-of-factly, “I don’t care.”

The comment comes after it was reported that fans will wait half a decade for a new 007 film to return to their screens.

The five-year delay is reportedly caused by ‘production and casting delays’ as the next spy has yet to be confirmed.

He wore a leather bomber jacket that he paired with quirky pants and a cream-colored scarf

Julia looked chic in a dark gray blazer and matching trousers as she joined Luca on stage

A year after the last No Time To Die release in September 2021, producer Barbara Broccoli said there would have to be a one-year wait before shooting the next film.

But much to the dismay of 007 fans, it will likely take much longer as filming still hasn’t started.

In June 2022, Barbara said: ‘There’s no script and we can’t come up with one until we decide how to approach the next film because it’s basically a reinvention of Bond.

“We’re rediscovering who he is, and that takes time. I would say filming will take at least another two years.”