There’s more to the modern-day 007 than meets the eye. From theater to the big screen, the steely-eyedDaniel Craigis widely known for his turn as the iconicIan Flemingcharacter,James Bond. When he’s not donning the 007 suit and tie, Craig remains faithful to the action genre starring in fan favorites likeCowboys & Aliens. Probably one of his best non-Bond features is his uncredited cameo inStar Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, which had fans rewatching the scene with Rey trying to determine if that was, in fact, Mr. Bond inside the Storm Trooper armor.
Capable of slipping into accents flawlessly and carrying his signature charm into every role in one form or another, Craig has over70 titles in his filmography, earning him a BAFTA, Emmy, and Golden Globe nominations. From true crime thrillers to murder mysteries, and a slew of emotionally charged features in between, Craig left no doubts about his ability to shine outside of the iconic franchise.These are Daniel Craig’s best movies outside the James Bond franchise, ranked by their overall quality, how crucial and well-used Craig is in the plot, and his overall performance in them.
10’Infamous' (2006)
Directed by Douglas McGrath
Based on the true story ofTruman Capote’sresearch forIn Cold Blood,Infamousfeatures Craig as the source subject, real-life killerPerry Edward Smith. The true-crime film starsToby Jonesas Capote as he develops a complex relationship with Smith (Craig) and Dick Hickcock (Lee Pace).Sandra Bullockco-stars as Capote’s friend and famous author,Harper Lee. Audiences were tasked with deciding if this biopic orPhillip Seymour Hoffman’s fresh release,Capote,was a better representation.
As Smith, Craig walks a fine line between violence and humanity while simultaneously delivering seamless chemistry with Jones' Capote. Sadly,Infamoussuffered froma classic case of “right movie, wrong time,“asCapoteearned Hoffman the Oscar for Best Actor as well as a nomination for Best Picture among three others.Infamousearned no Oscar nominations but still remains a compelling watch for true-crime, literary, and Daniel Craig fans.
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9’The Adventures of Tin Tin' (2011)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
In his first of few mainstream voice acting roles, Craig delivered the voices of Sakharine and Red Rackham inThe Adventures of Tintin. The animated feature follows the titular character (Jamie Bell), a young reporter who happens upon a ship model that leads to the treasure of a sunken ship. Before several shady characters can get the model from him, Tintin falls into the hands of Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis), who facilitates the voyage to the shipwreck.
Steven Spielbergdraws from his early adventure epics, funneling that energy and excitement into the Oscar-nominatedcomic book and cartoon series adaptation. Craig’s attachment marks his limited voice work besides the Bond video games and minimal family-friendly filmography.The Adventures of Tintinisa worthwhile adventure that responsibly captures the essence of its source material. It doesn’t rank among Spielberg’s best, but it does offer enough sheer entertainment to justify a watch or two.
The Adventures of Tintin
8’The Mother' (2003)
Directed by Roger Michell
The Motheris anunderappreciated love triangle moviethat shows it’s never too late to reignite a flame.Anne Reidstars as May, a recent widow who finds solace in an affair with Darren (Craig), a much younger married handyman who is also sleeping with her daughter (Cathryn Bradshaw). For audiences seeking the charisma and physical appeal of Craig’s Bond, look no further thanThe Mother.
It occasionally flirts with melodrama, butThe Motherstays grounded thanks to Reid’s work and chemistry with Craig.
The BAFTA-nominated movie is May’s story, emphasizing that with death can come new life in the efforts to overcome life’s late dilemmas. Craig’s supportive role steals scenes when necessary, butThe Motheris very much a Reid’s masterclass in emotional performance. It occasionally flirts with melodrama, butThe Motherstays grounded thanks to Reid’s work and chemistry with Craig. The love triangle’s complexity takes audiences ona grueling rollercoaster with a genius but simple payoffthat justifiesThe Mother’s much-deserved praise.
7’Layer Cake' (2005)
Directed by Matthew Vaughn
A solid installment in the one-last-job category,Layer Cakeis a stylized crime thriller that, like its title, craftsbeautiful layers of comedy, performance, and action. Craig stars as the nameless cocaine dealer XXXX, who, on the eve of his retirement, is divested into two jobs by his dealer, Jimmy Price (Kenneth Cranham), that involves a kidnapping and a large shipment of ecstasy. From then on, it’s a rollercoaster game of double-crossing.Michael Gambon,Tom Hardy,Sienna Miller,Sally Hawkins, andJamie Foremanco-star.
Layer Cakefeaturesa compelling narrative that extends beyond the genre’s standardswith its script and a cast that understands how to deliver. Craig crafts a flawless performance that,under Vaughn’s strategic direction, elevates the film from other gangster stories that use violence and thematics for the sake of the genre.Layer Cakeis quick, snappy, and packs a punchthat previewed what audiences could expect from their future James Bond.
Layer Cake
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Directed by Sam Mendes
Taking roles in every crime subgenre, Craig portrayed a mob boss’s son inthis Oscar-winningSam Mendesfeature.Road to PerditionstarsTom Hanksas Michael Sullivan, an enforcer for 1930s mafia leader John Rooney (Paul Newman). When out on a job with Rooney’s son, Connor (Craig), Michael’s son, Michael Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin), witnesses the pair kill a man. Father and son are forced on the run after Connor kills his wife and youngest son, with Rooney sending a hitman (Jude Law) after them.
Road to Perditionis one of the few movies in which Hanks portrays a morally gray character, with Craig as a downright unlikeable villain audiences refuse to root for. He portrays Connor’s jealousy and insecurity well against Newman and Hanks' chemistry, even stealing one of two scenes from Hanks.Road to Perditionisa thrilling period piece that displays an emotional scale of father-son dynamicsfrom toxicity, survival, and sacrifice. In that regard, it’s among the most emotional gangster movies, justifying its place in the middle of Craig’s non-007 filmography.
Road to Perdition
5’Munich' (2005)
Before he donned the most iconic name in espionage, Craig lent his supporting talents to the Oscar-nominated spy thriller,Munich. A work of mostly fiction, the movie opens withthe true events of Black September, where Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics were captured and murdered. Following the deaths, five men are chosen to exact retribution and assassinate the terrorists responsible for the killings. Craig stars in the ensemble as Steve, the driver and car expert.
TheBest Picture-nominated filmis adark and emotionally taxing watchas the characters onscreen are just as daunted as the viewers at home. While based on the historical events and the Israeli government’s response,Munichfeatures manyinaccuracies pointed out by those close to the actual event. Separating the based-on-a-true-story aspect,Munichis one of Steven Spielberg’s late-career efforts and tee-ed up Craig for his later franchise debut.
4’Glass Onion' (2022)
Directed by Rian Johnson
Reprising his Golden Globe-nominated role in theKnives Outfranchise, Craig’s performance in the whodunnit gets better with every installment. Here, the meticulous Detective Benoit Blanc investigates a murder at a tech billionaire’s private getaway. Craig leads a new but just as powerful all-star cast, giving Blanc a Rolodex of colorful suspects to play theClue-like game.
To avoid the sophomore slump,Glass Onionhinges its success on the cohesion between the performances and writing, living up to the precedent set in the first film. Craig is once again a hit with this smooth James Bond-esque physicality, quotable delivery, and seamless immersion into the Southern accent and mannerisms.Benoit Blanc is this generation’s Hercule Poirot, bringing audiences a modernized detective who will let them know when something is just dumb.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
3’The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' (2011)
Directed by David Fincher
Holding his own oppositeRooney Mara’smorally complicated hacker, Craig stars inThe Girl with the Dragon Tattooin another investigative role, journalist Mikael Blomkvist. Based on the Swedish crime novels created byStieg Larsson, the film reopens a four-decade-old murder case as Mikael and Lisbeth search for answers people of power don’t want them to find. Like many of his roles, Craig’s Mikael is on a quest for truth and personal redemption, while Mara’s Lisbeth acts as an agent of retribution.
While the Bond movies are far from rainbows and sunshine, they do breathe with moments of comedic reprieve. However,The Girl in the Dragon Tattoois adark psychological thrillerthat’s all doom and gloom, far from the slapstick origins of the whodunnit genre. Craig’s performance keeps pace with Mara’s while featuring the actor as more than just an action star.Relentlessly bleak yet undeniably thrilling,The Girl with the Dragon Tattoois a one-of-a-kind picture, a riveting mystery saga thatisn’t afraid to explore the darkest and most grotesque sides of the human psyche.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
2’Logan Lucky' (2017)
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
In a gut-punch performance in all the right ways,Craig traded his signature stoic presencefor the scene-stealing Foghorn Leghorn-talking Joe Bang.Logan LuckystarsChanning Tatum,Adam Driver, andRiley Keoughas the Logan siblings, who scheme to rob the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The key to their success sits in prison, so the Logans must break Joe Bang out and back in before anyone notices he’s gone.
Every inch of the movie is comedically absurd, but none more than Craig’s performance. He’s unrecognizable from his commitment to the accent to the bleach blonde buzz cut and unhinged laughter.Logan Luckydeserved more critical acclaimthan it received, including Craig’s transformation, which ranks among the best of his career, cementing him as one of the industry’s most underappreciated character actors.Logan Luckyis a riotous action comedythat leaves audiences questioning, “That’s James Bond?”
Logan Lucky
1’Knives Out' (2019)
As he planned to exit one franchise, Craig effortlessly stepped into another, leading a second blockbuster series. After the untimely death of crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), Detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) investigates each member of his dysfunctional family and how they fit into a potentially murderous narrative.Knives Outis one of thosemystery movies that has the most fun, and it’s largely because of its wild collection of unique characters.
Craig stepped up to the challenge in this ensemble movie to organically cultivate a fanbase, a different feat than with 007’s existing devotees.Knives Outsolidifies its entertainment value in a number of ways, but the personalities of every character and their dissection by Blanc take the cake. For Craig fans who were curious about how the action man would do post-Bond, his portrayal of Blanc proves he’ll be just fine.Knives Outis Craig’s best movie outside of Bondand might even be a candidate for his best overall. It’s fun, clever, infinitely quotable, and boasts a hilarious performance from Craig that gets better with each passing year.
