Daniel Craig has finally ended more than a year over speculation over his future in the James Bond role, confirming this week that he will return to play 007 for the last time in the next movie.

The English actor famously said, ahead of the release of Spectre back in 2015, that he would sooner “slit his wrists” than play Bond again. However, he may now live to regret those words, after he confirmed to Stephen Colbert on US chat show ‘The Late Show’ on Tuesday night (August 15th) that he would be reprising the role one last time when the 25th movie is released in two years’ time.

“I have been quite cagey about it,” Craig admitted to Colbert. “I have been doing interviews all day and people have been asking me and I think I’ve been rather coy. But kind of felt like if I was going to speak the truth I should speak truth to you.”

Daniel CraigDaniel Craig is to play Bond for the fifth and final time

In doing so, he’s finally put an end to countless months of speculation of whether or not he will return to play 007 for a fifth time.

Less than a year ago, bookmakers were pretty confident that Craig would be replaced, with the likes of Idris Elba, Aidan Turner and Tom Hiddleston touted for the role of the suave British spy going forwards. Indeed, even earlier this week it was not clear whether Craig was intending to go on with the role or not.

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The 49 year old also mentioned that he’s known for “couple of months” that he had been cast in the role again, adding: “We’ve been discussing it, we’ve just been trying to figure things out. I always wanted to, I needed a break.”

However, he was at pains to emphasise that it would indeed be his last outing as Bond. “I think this is it. I just want to go out on a high note and I can’t wait.”

Craig played 007 for the first time way back in 2006 in Casino Royale, reprising the part in 2009’s disappointing Quantum of Solace and then in the incredibly well-received box-office behemoths Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015), both helmed by Sam Mendes. A director hasn’t yet been attached to the new film (though Dunkirk’s Christopher Nolan has been rumoured) but it will be released in 2019.

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