The Best Daniel Craig Movies

For a lot of people, Daniel Craig will always be James Bond. And fair enough — when you’ve spent 15 years in the tux, it’s hard to shake off. But it’s also worth remembering that some of his best work lives outside of the Bond universe too. Over the years, Craig has built a career that zigzags from brutal thrillers to icy dramas to roles you’d never expect from a guy who once made “shaken, not stirred” cool again.

What makes Craig interesting isn’t transformation in the chameleon sense — he’s always recognizably himself. But within that frame, he can do menace, vulnerability, humor, or full-blown chaos. Even when a film wobbles, Craig usually doesn’t.

So, tux or no tux, here are the Daniel Craig movies that we really love.

Knives Out (2019)

This was Craig’s great post-Bond palette cleanser. As Benoit Blanc, the detective with the exaggerated Southern accent, he looks like he’s having the time of his life. The film is sharp, funny, and endlessly watchable, and Craig leans into the absurdity. It proved he could do eccentric as well as he did stoic.

Casino Royale (2006)

This is the role that changed everything for Craig. Casino Royale stripped Bond of the camp, and rebuilt him as a bruised, dangerous man, who could also fall in love like everyone else. Craig’s Bond is physical, flawed, and way more human than any version before. And that poker sequence with Mads Mikkelsen is still unbeatable.

Munich (2005)

Spielberg’s tense thriller about revenge after the Munich Olympics massacre has Craig in more of a supporting role, but it’s a good one. He plays a South African member of the covert team, and while he isn’t in every scene, he adds an edge to the whole group dynamic. The film is brutal, political, and understated — and Craig slots right in.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Rooney Mara may have stolen the spotlight in David Fincher’s icy adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s bestseller. But, Craig as Mikael Blomkvist, a journey, really anchors the film. His performance is understated, but essential—it keeps the film from being swallowed whole by its own darkness.

No Time To Die (2021)

Craig’s Bond finale gave him something no other 007 had — closure. He carries the film with a kind of weary gravitas, and by the end you can feel the weight of the whole run on his shoulders. It’s bigger and more emotional than most Bond films dare to be, and Craig really makes us cry.

Layer Cake (2004)

This is the movie that practically gift-wrapped Bond for Craig. Playing a nameless drug dealer trying to get out of the game, Craig is sharp and unpredictable. The film itself is stylish and pacey, but it’s Craig’s mix of charm and edge that makes it memorable. Layer Cake is lean, sharp, and hints at the exact qualities that would redefine Bond a couple of years later.

Road to Perdition (2002)

Here’s Craig as the reckless son of Paul Newman’s mob boss, and he’s excellent at it. He’s insecure, rash, and his actions basically set the whole tragic story in motion. It’s a small part, but one that left an impression — especially since he’s sparring against Tom Hanks and holding his own.

Queer (2024)

His latest, and one of his boldest. Based on William S. Burroughs’ novel, Queer sees Craig playing a lonely expat in 1950s Mexico City, caught up in obsession and desire. It’s stripped-down, vulnerable work — no gadgets, no swagger, just raw acting. Proof, if we needed it, that Craig still isn’t done surprising us.