No need to be shaken or stirred! Daniel Craig confirms he WILL return as James Bond... after claiming things were 'up in the air'
His claims that his return as James Bond was 'up in the air' left fans shaken and stirred.
But Daniel Craig dramatically reversed his comments by confirming he would reprise his famous 007 role during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday.
It was a very rapid U-turn on the part of the 49-year-old, whose most recent appearance as the British spy was in 2015's Spectre.
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I spy: Daniel Craig confirmed he will return as James Bond during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday
Asked if he would be playing the iconic role for a fifth time, he replied: 'Yes. I couldn't be happier. I've been quite cagey about it.
'I've been doing interviews about it all day and people have been asking me and I've been kind of coy but I kind of felt like, if I was going to speak the truth, I should speak the truth to you.'
The star admitted he 'always wanted to return' to the role, but confirmed the next Bond movie will be his last.
He added: 'I think this is it. This is it. I just want to go out on a high note, and I can't wait.'
The 49-year-old actor, who is the seventh Bond and has starred in four movies, insisted the hold-ups were nothing to do with pay as he admitted, undoubtedly to fan's delight, that he would 'love to do it'.
Earlier that day, Daniel told US radio show Morning Magic 106.7 that nothing had been confirmed about his future with the franchise, as it was all up to 'personal decisions'.
Daniel previously hit the headlines for saying he would only do another Bond film 'for the money', and would rather 'slash [his] wrists'than star in one again.
Never say never again (please): It had already been reported he was poised to make his fifth appearance as Bond following talks with franchise producer Barbara Broccoli
But the actor - who played 007 in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre - has admitted that comment was 'really stupid'.
He added: 'Look, there's no point in making excuses about it, but it was two days after I'd finished shooting the last movie, I went straight to an interview, and someone said, "Would you do another one?" Instead of saying something with style and grace, I gave a really stupid answer.'
Earlier in the day he had studiously given nothing away away as he appeared on US radio show Morning Magic 106.7, where he said nothing had been confirmed as it was all up to 'personal decisions'.
The actor, who is the seventh Bond, insisted the hold-ups were nothing to do with pay as he admitted, undoubtedly to fan's delight, that he would 'love to do it'.
On his way: Daniel was seen heading into The Late Show on Tuesday as he looked like Bond himself in a slick leather jacket
Driving them to drink: Fans were shaken and stirred when he earlier said nothing had been confirmed as it was all up to 'personal decisions'
However he will surely be raking in more than ever before to play the iconic Ian Fleming character in what could be his final appearance.
Earlier this year, it was reported he was poised to make his fifth appearance as Bond following talks with franchise producer Barbara Broccoli.
He prompted speculation over the identity of his successor by insisting he would prefer to ‘slash his own wrists’ rather than reprise the role after completing work on his last appearance as the secret agent in 2015 blockbuster Spectre.
But Page Six reported his potential replacement Tom Hiddleston, once a front runner for the coveted role, has effectively been ruled out by Broccoli following a series of encouraging talks with Daniel.
Things seemed set to remain as up in the air as ever, as he revealed on Tuesday: 'I’d hate to burst the bubble, but no decision has been made at the moment.
Star of the show: 'It’s just all very personal decisions to be made at the moment. I know they’re desperate to get going and I would in theory love to do it, but there is no decision just yet'
A fond farewell! The happy star was headed out after his appearance on the show
'There’s a lot of noise out there and nothing official has been confirmed and I’m not, like, holding out for more money or doing anything like that.
'It’s just all very personal decisions to be made at the moment. I know they’re desperate to get going and I would in theory love to do it, but there is no decision just yet.'
Sources claim Hiddleston's high profile romance with American pop star Taylor Swift, coupled with a bizarre acceptance speech at the 74th annual Golden Globes, during which he relayed an awkwardly expressed anecdote about aid workers in impoverished south Sudan warmly greeting him after watching his TV drama The Night Manager, also failed to impress Broccoli.
Craig enjoyed enormous success in the years following his first appearance as Bond in 2005 hit Casino Royale.
Headed back: 'It’s just all very personal decisions to be made at the moment. I know they’re desperate to get going and I would in theory love to do it, but there is no decision just yet'
Popular: Craig enjoyed enormous success in the years following his first appearance as Bond in 2005 hit Casino Royale
Comeback? 'It’s just all very personal decisions to be made at the moment. I know they’re desperate to get going and I would in theory love to do it, but there is no decision just yet'
The actor has played 007 on three further occasions, but he appeared adamant that the Sam Mendes directed Spectre, in which all four of Craig's Bond film's are neatly tied together, would be his last during an interview with Time Out.
'I’d rather break this glass and slash my wrists,' he told the magazine in 2015. 'We’re done. All I want to do is move on,'
He added that if he did another movie, 'it would only be for the money.’
Craig was paid $10.7 million for 2012 smash Skyfall, making him the highest-paid Bond actor ever; the film was the first Bond movie to break the one billion dollar mark.
Its enormous success led to Craig reportedly brokering a deal to be paid £31 million for his next two 007 films, including Spectre, the 24th film in the franchise. I’m contracted for one more but I’m not going to make predictions,' he told Event in September 2014.
Off we go: Craig was paid $10.7 million for 2012 smash Skyfall, making him the highest-paid Bond actor ever; the film was the first Bond movie to break the one billion dollar mark
The name's.. Craig was paid $10.7 million for 2012 smash Skyfall, making him the highest-paid Bond actor ever; the film was the first Bond movie to break the one billion dollar mark
