Director Danny Boyle stepped down from James Bond 25 following a dispute over killing off Daniel Craig’s secret agent character, it has been reported.

The Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire filmmaker was confirmed to take charge of the new Bond movie earlier this year. However, it was announced on the franchise’s official Twitter account earlier this week that he had left the role over ‘creative differences’.

A day later, it was reported that producers weren’t impressed after viewing the film’s script, which focused heavily on recent political tensions with Russia and a “modern-day Cold War”. It was also said that Boyle had clashed with the lead actor Daniel Craig.


Now, it has been reported that the movie’s star – along with producer Barbara Broccoli – wanted Bond to die in a “spectacular finale” to bring Craig’s stint as the spy to an end. A source told The Sun that Boyle thought the idea was “ridiculous”.

“There were discussions about killing off Bond in dramatic fashion at the end,” an insider said. “It would also leave it open for a twist in the next instalment — either Bond hadn’t died or there could be a Doctor Who-esque regeneration with a new actor.”

The source also claimed that there were disputes over budgets, adding that “there’s pandemonium among crew with people leaving the production left, right and centre”.

With production in disarray, it was previously reported that the movie’s release could face significant delays.


“It’s possible that Bond 25 may not hit theatres until late 2020,” The Hollywood Reporter claimed. “Even before Boyle departed, there was talk of pushing the movie’s release to early 2020.”

Looking beyond Bond 25, Idris Elba recently confirmed that he won’t portray the iconic spy after all. Speculation had been reignited after the actor teased fans with the Twitter post: “my name’s Elba, Idris Elba.”