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Daniel Craig Drama 'Purity' Won't Air on Showtime Until After 'Bond 25'
The actor will shoot the 25th installment in the long-running feature film franchise before turning to the Showtime series.
Showtime's Daniel Craig vehicle Purity has been delayed.
To perhaps little surprise, the limited drama based on the novel of the same name from The Corrections author Jonathan Franzen will not begin production until after the actor has completed work on the 25th installment in the James Bond feature film franchise. The movie is set to premiere Nov. 8, 2019.
"He's doing Bond first and I can't say anything about what I know or don't know about Bond, [but] It's possible it may not shoot until 2019," Showtime CEO David Nevins told reporters this week at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour. That means Purity may not air on Showtime until 2018 or possibly 2019.
Rumors have swirled in recent weeks that Purity was not on track to air at all as Craig's involvement had come under question. Nevins confirmed that is not the case. "I think so, yeah," the exec said when The Hollywood Reporter asked him directly if Craig was definitely attached to star. Nevins also confirmed that the actor is likely to appear in "most" of the two-season, 20-episode order for Purity.
The series was picked up to series in June 2016 with a 20-episode order after fielding multiple bidders. It centers on a young woman named Purity (who is known by the name of Pip) who, in search of answers about herself and her family, winds up interning in South America at the Sunlight Project, a group which deals with all the secrets of the world. Purity is described as a story about youthful idealism, fidelity and murder. Craig is set to play Andreas, a German provocateur who crosses paths with Pip.
Nevins told reporters a year ago at TCA that the show was in preproduction, with production to be largely completed in 2017. The show remains uncast beyond Craig.
Todd Field is poised to write, direct and executive produce Purity. Scott Rudin, Eli Bush, Franzen and David Hare also will exec produce. Hare and Franzen also will serve as writers on the drama, while Field will helm all 20 episodes. The series will air over two years on Showtime.
Craig, meanwhile, has yet to officially sign on for Bond 25.
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