Report: Danny Boyle Left 'Bond 25' Over Dispute With Star Daniel Craig

“Creative differences” is the catch-all for any and every reason to leave a project in Hollywood. It can be something as banal as a director wanting to go in one direction and the studio wanting to go in another. That has been the case on countless franchise films. However, it can also be a bit more personal, with behind-the-scenes turmoil leading to the firing of one of the parties. Basically, “creative differences” never tells you the whole story. And in the case of Danny Boyle leaving ‘Bond 25,’ that’s definitely the case.

When Boyle and the producers of the ‘Bond’ franchise decided to part ways, it was due to those dreaded “creative differences.” But, thanks to the Telegraph, the precise reasons for the departure are coming into focus. Long story short, Daniel Craig and Danny Boyle just didn’t see eye to eye, at all. And when you’re the star (and therefore, face) of a franchise, you’re going to win every time.

The report claims that Boyle was already on thin ice with producers when he demanded that they scrap the already-written script by longtime franchise writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, which meant a delay in production. Then when the producers saw the script, with a “modern-day Cold War” storyline, featuring a Russian main villain, they were skeptical. However, the producers were willing to move forward.

But the final straw, apparently, was when Boyle wanted to cast Tomasz Kot, star of the critically-acclaimed “Cold War,” as the villain. Apparently, that’s when Craig stepped up and put the kibosh on the decision. The Telegraph says that part of Craig’s power in the franchise is the ability to choose (or at least sign off) on many of the casting decisions. They point to the official statement that includes Daniel Craig’s name, which points to a direct clash.

So, now that the decision has been made and Danny Boyle is out, Craig and the rest of the folks behind the scenes are scrambling to find a replacement. As we mentioned previously, this could lead to yet another delay for the release date, or perhaps they find someone to revive the Purvis/Wade script. Either way, we’ll have to see what happens in the coming weeks.