Daniel Craig Confirmed To Return As Bond By 2016

Broadway and Hollywood superstar Daniel Craig has been officially confirmed to return as James Bond in the next installment of the iconic action film franchise, which now has been reported to be aiming for a pre-2016 release.

Unfortunately, SKYFALL director and well-regarded stage helmer Sam Mendes will not direct the follow-up to the ultra-successful most recent entry in the fifty-years-and-running franchise, he himself regretfully admitted last month, citing his commitments to the currently-aborning UK stage adaptation of CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY.

MGM CEO Gary Barber was recently quoted as saying, "We are very excited about the franchise, we look forward to announcing a director soon."

He continued, "We are currently developing the screenplay and working with our partners. We look forward to developing the script soon and signing a director. We are hoping within the next three years it will be released."

While rumors have been circulating as to potential directors being courted for the next entry, it is a fact that the screenplay will be written by none other than SKYFALL screenwriter and popular playwright John Logan, who himself will be represented on Broadway later this season with his Bette Midler-starring Sue Mengers bioplay I'LL EAT YOU LAST, directed by Joe Mantello.

Previously, Craig famously starred in a sold-out run of the two-character play A STEADY RAIN opposite Hugh Jackman on Broadway in 2009 and made a major mark early on in his career acting in the original production of Caryl Churchill's remarkable cloning-centric theatrical meditation A NUMBER. Additionally, Craig is rumored to be joining his wife, Rachel Weisz, in a forthcoming revival of Harold Pinter's classic BETRAYAL to be directed by the legendary Mike Nichols on Broadway next season.

Check out the original story on the matter here.

So, are you ready to see Craig take another tumble as the world's most beloved secret agent sometime between now and 2016? Most importantly, will he make it back to Broadway before then?