The search is on for Daniel Craig‘s James Bond replacement, but there is another franchise in which Craig proved himself irreplaceable. Craig was the sixth actor to play Bond in the long-running franchise and is regarded as one of the best. He set himself apart from the others with his debut movie, Casino Royale, a gritty origin tale of 007.

Craig’s tenure as the character also broke new ground with the decision to kill off Bond in No Time to Die. It was a bold move that certainly allowed Craig to leave his mark on the iconic character like no other actor had done before. Of course, the franchise will continue with casting for the next Bond heating up.

Even with Craig’s memorable exit from the role, Bond is a character who will inevitably be played by many more actors to come. However, Craig has moved on to another acclaimed franchise, with a character that he has already proven can only be played by him.

No One Can Play Benoit Blanc In The Knives Out Movies After Daniel Craig

Daniel Craig’s Performance Defines Blanc And Can’t Be Copied

After James Bond, Benoit Blanc from the Knives Out movies has become Daniel Craig’s most iconic character. The Southern sleuth leads the murder mystery franchise, with Knives Out and Glᴀss Onion each showing him tackling a new mystery with a new cast of characters as suspects. The franchise continues with the upcoming Wake Up ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man.

It is a hugely entertaining character, not just in watching him solve the mysteries. Craig is clearly having so much fun with the role, bringing charm, humor, and a winning accent to the character. It is a performance that has also defined the character and made it impossible for any other actor to play Blanc in the future.

Blanc is a brilliant detective, like Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot, and he could continue in endless cases like those characters. However, Craig plays Blanc in such a way that any actor who takes on the role and tries to stay true to what has been established about Blanc will only look like they are doing an impression of Craig.

Actors can come in and play Bond in their own ways, not feeling the need to copy Sean Connery’s accent. However, Blanc’s accent, his mannerisms, and his musings have become so ingrained in the character that he cannot suddenly lose them. These are also aspects Craig invented for the role and would be too hard to duplicate.

Blanc’s Story May Have To End The Same Way As Daniel Craig’s Bond

Could Blanc Meet A Similarly Heroic Demise?

Daniel Craig and writer-director Rian Johnson have stated that they are willing to keep making Benoit Blanc mysteries as long as they are both involved. However, with Craig making it impossible to recast the role, it may be necessary for Blanc to end the same way Craig’s version of James Bond did, with his death.

The Knives Out movies do deal in death, but given the comedic tone, it might seem odd to kill off the main character. This is especially true given how likable Blanc is. However, those famed sleuths he draws inspiration from, Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot, were eventually killed off (though Holmes returned).

Blanc, though an intellect rather than an action hero, has continuously shown in the Knives Out movies to be dedicated to helping those who are vulnerable or preyed upon. It is not hard to imagine him sacrificing himself in order to help someone like this. Of course, he would have to solve the case first.