Daniel Craig is back for his final film as the iconic agent 007 in No Time To Die and the cast of characters supporting him in his last outing is a mix of familiar faces and franchise newcomers. Craig first debuted as James Bond in 2006's Casino Royale and his casting was not without controversy. From his blonde hair to the fact that he wasn't instantly recognizable, hardcore Bond fans took umbrage with Craig's casting. Luckily, he went on to prove the naysayers wrong.
Directed by Martin Campbell, Casino Royale was critically acclaimed for its grittier and more straightlaced take on Ian Fleming's beloved spy. Now, Campbell's film is seen as the beginning of what would be a reinvention of sorts for the character, with Casino Royale laying the groundwork for changes to James Bond that will come to a head in No Time To Die. From Bond's emotional journey with lover (and traitor) Vesper Lynd, played by Eva Green, to his haunted and world-weary demeanor, the 21st Bond film was a new beginning for the franchise.
While Quantum of Solace was a bit more divisive, Skyfall cemented Craig as a legendary James Bond. Domestically, Craig's third Bond film is the highest-grossing out of the four he has starred in so far. The other three all occupy spots in the top five, too, but they are no match for what many have dubbed one of the best 007 entries yet. Skyfall took everything that made Craig's Bond great and amplified it. Now, No Time To Die is set to release in theaters on October 8 after several lengthy delays. Here's everyone who is joining Craig for one final mission.
It wouldn't be a James Bond movie without 007 and Craig is back for his final go in the role. After retiring at the end of Spectre, Bond will be drawn back into the world of espionage when new information about his lover, Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), surfaces. No Time To Die will likely be a sad affair, a culmination of the last 15 years of a role that Craig has poured his heart and soul into. Not only will No Time To Die bring Bond's story full circle, but it will also usher in a new era for the franchise, one that Craig has made sure will be welcomed with open arms. Prior to being cast as the suave British superspy, Craig was best known for Layer Cake and Road to Perdition, and more recently for playing eccentric detective Benoit Blanc in Knives Out, a role he'll soon reprise in Knives Out 2.
Léa Seydoux will reprise her role of Madeleine Swann in No Time To Die. Madeleine first appeared in 2015's Spectre, teaming up with Bond to take down Christoph Waltz's villain, Ernst Blofeld. Madeleine was last seen driving off in Bond's Aston Martin at the end of Spectre, but things look to be taking a turn for the worse. In No Time To Die's opening sequence, Bond seemingly discovers that Madeleine has betrayed him in some way. This will bring both of them back to MI6 where Madeleine will help with Bond's next deadly mission. Seydoux broke out with her acclaimed performance in French drama Blue Is The Warmest Color, but prior to that, she had also appeared briefly in another major action franchise with Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol. Seydoux's other credits include Midnight in Paris, The Lobster, and Wes Anderson's upcoming movie The French Dispatch.
Christoph Waltz is returning as villain Ernst Blofeld, a man with a longstanding grudge against Bond who is responsible for various tragic events in 007's life. Blofeld is also the villain behind SPECTRE, the criminal organization that Bond and Madeleine took down in the film of the same name. Waltz earned two Best Supporting Actor trophies three years apart - one in 2010 for Inglorious Basterds and the other for Django Unchained. Since then, the versatile German-Austrian actor has shown his range in everything from Alita: Battle Angel to The French Dispatch, Muppets Most Wanted to Horrible Bosses 2.
Ralph Fiennes will be back as M, the head of MI6. Fiennes' Gareth Mallory took over the position that was held by Judi Dench until Skyfall when her character was tragically killed. M will once again have to oversee MI6 while dealing with the return of Craig's Bond and a new 007 - Lashana Lynch's Nomi. Fiennes began acting in 1985 and has starred in everything from 1993's Oscar-winning Schindler's List to Maid in Manhattan. Still, the actor is perhaps best known for (if not immediately recognized as) Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter franchise.
Rami Malek will make his franchise debut as No Time To Die's villain, Lyutsifer Safin. Not much is known about Safin at this point and there was even speculation that Rami Malek's character could be Dr. No. Those rumors were debunked, but much mystery still surrounds the character and his motivations. Malek found his breakout role in Mr. Robot's Elliot Anderson, a character he played for four seasons on the USA Network show. Since then, he has gone on to win an Academy Award for Best Actor in the divisive Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody and also starred opposite Denzel Washington in this year's The Little Things.
Nomi, played by Lashana Lynch, is No Time To Die's newest 007. Entering into service sometime after Bond's retirement at the end of Spectre, Nomi is assigned the iconic three-digit moniker in Bond's place. From early trailers, it's clear that Nomi and Bond will butt heads - Lynch's character literally tells Bond to stay out of her way at one point. Right now, it's unclear what's in store for Nomi, but it's possible that she has a bright future ahead of her in the James Bond franchise. Lynch starred as Maria Rambeau, Carol Danvers' best friend, in 2019's Captain Marvel. While her MCU future is uncertain after it was revealed she died in WandaVision, Lynch will star as Miss Honey in Matilda the Musical.
Actress Ana de Armas stars in No Time To Die as Paloma, a CIA agent that will assist Bond on his mission. Like most of the newcomers, little is known about Paloma, but trailers for the film have shown at least one action scene where de Armas' character takes down several bad guys in brilliant fashion. De Armas has been earning acclaim for her role in early reviews for No Time To Die despite the fact that her appearance is brief. De Armas has previously starred in Blade Runner: 2049 and Knives Out. Next year she will star as Marilyn Monroe in Netflix's Blonde.
Naomie Harris as Eve Moneypenny: M's secretary and a supporter of Bond even during his wilder moments. Harris has played the role since Skyfall. As an actress, Harris rose to prominence after her role in 28 Days Later and she has also starred in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Southpaw. She earned an Academy Award nomination for her turn in Barry Jenkins' Moonlight.
Ben Whishaw as Q: The Quartermaster of MI6, Q is responsible for outfitting every double-0 agent with the latest high-tech gadgetry. Whishaw previously starred in Cloud Atlas and Mary Poppins Returns. He is also the voice of Paddington in the critically acclaimed family films.
Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter: Leiter is Bond's friend and a CIA field officer who has assisted Craig's character in several films. Wright made his debut in Casino Royale and has appeared in all but one entry, Skyfall. Although Wright currently voices the Watcher in Marvel's What If...?, he is also known for his live-action turns as Bernard Lowe in Westworld and for playing Beetee in the Hunger Games franchise. He will star as Commissioner Jim Gordon in 2022's The Batman.
Billy Magnussen as Logan Ash: Magnussen will play a CIA agent enlisted by Jeffrey Wright's Felix to assist Bond on his mission. Little else is known about his character. In addition to No Time To Die, Magnussen is starring in this month's The Many Saints of Newark. His previous credits include The Big Short, Ingrid Goes West, and Aladdin.
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