Daniel Craig Won't Be Part Of George Clooney's 'Monuments Men'

Daniel CraigWell, it’s hard to argue with a cast that includes George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville, and John Goodman. Indeed, that’s the impressive lineup Clooney has put together for his next directorial effort “Monuments Men” (which yes, he’s also starring in) but if it feels like there’s a name missing, well, there is.

First announced as part of the cast way back in October, Daniel Craig is no longer part of the film. In the formal announcement of the film’s production start his name was absent, with Bob Balaban confirming on Twitter: “DC isn’t in MM Matt Damon is.” It’s not quite clear if Damon took Craig’s role, but it’s probably not an uneducated leap to take, and one for the other is hardly a bad deal at all. As for the exact roles folks are taking, that’s being kept under wraps for now, but the true story of a World War II platoon, tasked by FDR with going into Germany to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and returning them to their rightful owners, should have more than one meaty part.

Shooting is now underway in Germany, with lensing to also take place in the U.K., with filming expected to continue unti June. Alexandre Desplat is scoring the movie and it will open on December 18th.