Remaking 'James'

Image credit: Casino Royale: Jay Maidment

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Something is bugging them over at craignotbond.com, that's for sure. The site's homepage urges surfers to ''Join the Boycott of Casino Royale'' and lists disgruntled fans' grievances over Craig's height (at 5'11'', they think he's too dinky), eye color (some want it brown), even rugged good looks (not suave enough, they complain). ''They're upset about the color of his hair — the fact that he's blond,'' observes Eva Green, who's obviously done some browsing of her own. ''Really, people can be such morons.''

Enter the British tabloid press, all card-carrying members of SMERSH, judging by the way they piled on Craig. ''The Name's Bland...James Bland,'' is how London's Daily Mirror greeted the new 007. Reports that he couldn't drive the new Aston Martin, that his teeth got knocked out in a fight scene, that he was sunburned in the Bahamas, all made it into print — even though not one turned out to be fully accurate. ''I'm reluctant to talk about them because I don't want to give them any credence'' is all Craig will say about the stories. Others are less tight-lipped. ''The tabloids just come up with these stupid things,'' says Broccoli. ''Almost everything they've written about this movie has been wrong.''

Of course, all new Bonds get whacked around at first (even Connery — a Scot! — took hits when he was cast as the ultimate Englishman), and Craig's hazing may turn out to have an upside. ''I actually think all that bad press will be good for Daniel,'' suggests Matthew Vaughn, his Layer Cake director. ''This way, people can be surprised by how great he'll be in the role. He can just blow everyone away with his performance. Which he will do.''

As if he weren't under enough pressure. If nothing else, the snotty headlines and Internet fuming have been a reminder of just how deeply fans care about the character now in his care, particularly in England, where Bond is as much a cherished cultural institution as the Beatles and Spotted Dick. It's clearly a responsibility the actor has been thinking about while reinventing the beloved cinematic icon. ''There was an identity crisis in England after World War II, with the country figuring itself out, seeing the perceived power we once had dwindling away,'' Craig muses. ''And along comes this character who's very British and very charming but at the same time sort of says 'F--- you' to the whole world. I think the essence of the character is somewhere in there. I think that's what set this whole thing in motion all those years ago, and that keeps it going.''

''The last thing I want,'' he's quick to add, ''is to be the one who destroys all that.''