James Bond 25 Set for 2019 Release – Is Daniel Craig Returning?

Bond is officially back, and despite two years of uncertainty, so is star Daniel Craig.

The 25th installment of the legendary spy series was announced yesterday on the official 007 Twitter account. The U.S. debut is expected to hit theaters on November 8, 2019 according to a joint statement by EON Productions and MGM. The film is expected to hit theaters in the U.K. at an earlier, unspecified date, as has been the case with earlier Bond films.

Amongst those returning are writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, who wrote the previous Daniel Craig installments Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and most recently Spectre. Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will also work on the upcoming film.

James Bond will return to US cinemas on November 8, 2019 with a traditional earlier release in the UK and the rest of the world. pic.twitter.com/6HnaDnfruK

— James Bond (@007) July 24, 2017

Rumors about Daniel Craig’s return have been swirling since the release of Spectre. Many thought that Craig’s departure was certain after an interview with Time Out where Craig said he would rather “slash his wrists” than return as Bond. He later walked back his statements, saying that the unforgiving Spectre shoot caused fatigue and that he would be open to returning. But according to a recent New York Times article, Craig’s return is a done deal.

Some are attributing Craig’s return to the wealth of popular British actors that were linked to the role. Early rumors speculated that Idris Elba would become 007, while Billions and Homeland star Damien Lewis was at one point said to be the frontrunner. Tom Hiddleston also made some waves after meeting with director Sam Mendes.

Craig’s return to the role will mark his fifth time playing the secret agent, only trailing iconic actors Roger Moore and Sean Connery, who both played Bond in seven films. While details about the plot and villain remain unknown, if earlier films are any indication, we can expect nonstop action and intrigue.