The New, Edgier Bond

Production recently wrapped, and the producers have already announced that Daniel Craig is returning as Bond in the next movie, Casino Royale, due to release in 2008. A little worrying is this quote:

"As we wrap production on Casino Royale, we couldn't be more excited about the direction the franchise is heading with Daniel Craig," Wilson and Broccoli said in a statement. "Daniel has taken the origins of Ian Fleming's James Bond portraying, with emotional complexity, a darker and edgier 007."

Wait, a "darker" and "edgier" 007? Isn't that exactly how Timothy Dalton's Bond was described? And how well did that work out?! I'm not sure this is the right approach. Connery's Bond was always fun, even under pressure, and that's what people liked about him. He wasn't completely dark and serious like Matt Damon's character in Bourne Supremacy. Plus there was a casualness, and informal coolness and sense of style, that surrounded Connery's Bond. People had a good time watching James Bond on his missions, and I wouldn't want to lose that like what happened during the Timothy Dalton era.

The trailers for Casino Royale have been out for a while now, and it certainly looks good, so hopefully my fears will be allayed when the new movie comes out. We'll find out in November.