Summary
Daniel Craig is most known for his role as James Bond, but withKnives Out, he has found much success starring in a genre he had previously only once explored, comedy films. Throughout most of his acting tenure - including the first two decades of his career - Craig had typically been cast in dramas and adventure films.Road to Perdition,Sylvia,Layer Cake,The Golden Compass, andDefiancestand out as prominent non-007Daniel Craig movies. Notably,apart fromSome Voicesin 2000, there were no comedies in his filmography as of 2016.
In 2017, however, one well-received performance changed the trajectory of his career, opening up new avenues and granting him a new baseline in his post-Bond years. In fact,since 2017, Craig has only appeared in five films, and three of those films were comedies. The sudden change in Craig’s career choices has redefined his range, and, now in his mid-50s, he’s embracing this shift in identity. While Craig will almost certainly star in more drama and action films in the future, comedy is his current genre of choice, withKnives Out: Wake Up Dead Manreleasing in 2025.
Daniel Craig Southern Heist Comedy Nearly Got A Prequel From Ocean’s Trilogy Director
Steven Soderbergh says there were plans for a prequel to his Daniel Craig heist film Logan Lucky, until the movie failed at the box office.
Logan Lucky Showed Daniel Craig’s Comedic Potential Before Knives Out
It Was Craig’s First Featured Comedic Casting
In what was a break from conventions for Craig, he was cast in one of the most fun heist movies ever,Logan Lucky. Craig plays Joe Bang, a troublemaker with tattoos covering his body, dyed hair, and a southern accent that would later lend itself to Craig’sKnives Outcharacter.Craig is instantly lovable as a recklessly funny con man. These character choices make this role so funny; they are different from the more serious, somber, and oftentimes poignant versions of Daniel Craig that audiences grew to love.
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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
What truly makesLogan Luckysuch a groundbreaking performance for Craig was his complete willingness to commit to the role; this was only possible because of director Steven Soderberg’s abject approval of basically anything Craig wanted to try (viaGQ).Many actors would be reluctant to reinvent themselves so late in their careers, butit is a choice that has revitalized Craig’s image, and audiences have loved this version of him so far. By allowing himself to experiment and not take himself too seriously, Craig set himself up for future success beyond theJames Bond movies.
Daniel Craig Is Even Funnier In Logan Lucky Than In Knives Out
Without Logan Lucky, Knives Out Might Not Have Happened
One of the most prevailing bits of discourse surroundingLogan Luckywas Craig’s comedic talents. Especially for those who only really knew him as the brooding, scowling, suit/bathing suit rocking MI-6 agent James Bond,Logan Luckywas a complete turn from the norm that Craig had established. When this opened up opportunities to act in films such asKnives Out, Craig was able to build from the initial groundwork ofLogan Lucky. Importantly, Craig, himself, was excited by the opportunity to broaden his range and implied that his prior seeming avoidance of comedy wasn’t entirely by design.
It’s as if, through the meshing of James Bond and Joe Bang, Craig was able to find a logical middle point between comedy and class (…)
InLogan Lucky, Craig is able to fully let loose and commit to a character who is intentionally over-the-top, whereas Craig’s character inKnives Outis much more centered and brings with him an air of authority and class. It’s as if, through the meshing of James Bond and Joe Bang, Craig was able to find a logical middle point between comedy and class, resulting in Benoit Blanc fromKnives Out.None of this would be possible without the groundwork laid byLogan Lucky.
Logan Lucky
Cast
Logan Lucky is a comedy-heist film by Steven Soderbergh, the director behind the Ocean’s Eleven series. The Logans are a blue-collar family from the hills of West Virginia, and their clan has been famous for its bad luck for nearly 90 years. But the conniving Jimmy Logan decides it’s time to turn the family’s luck around, and with a bit of help from his friends, the “Redneck Robbers,” he plans to steal $14 million from the Charlotte Motor Speedway on the busiest race day of the year.
