Daniel Craig to return for 22nd Bond movie in '08

LOS ANGELES - James Bond, headliner of one of the biggest film franchises in Hollywood history, will keep battling villians in his 22nd movie set for release on May 2, 2008, the film's producers said today.

English actor Daniel Craig will return in the role of the suave British agent code named 007 after playing him for the first time in Casino Royale, which is set to open in November.

"Daniel has taken the origins of Ian Fleming's James Bond portraying, with emotional complexity, a darker and edgier 007," producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said in a statement.

The story, title and details of the 22nd Bond movie were undisclosed.

Since 1962's first Bond film, Dr No starring Sean Connery, the franchise has raked in billions of dollars worldwide. The most recent, 2002's Die Another Day starring Pierce Brosnan as Bond, raked in almost US$430 million ($700 million) globally.

The Bond movies are produced EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc and Sony Pictures Entertainment, the media unit of Japanese electronics maker Sony Corp.

- REUTERS