Now here’s a mystery you don’t need to be the world’s greatest detective to solve.
As reported by Above The Line, British beauty Daniel Craig is attached to star in an upcoming film from Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino. And it just so happens to be an adaptation of William S. Burroughs short novel, Queer, which is… well, very queer!
Originally written in the early 1950s, and then not published until 1985—because of the gay stuff—Queer is the story of a man named Lee (whom Craig will presumably play), fighting addiction and living in Mexico City among a number of young, broke American ex-pats. “Self-conscious and insecure,” Lee finds himself courting a recently discharged American Navy serviceman many years his junior, while on the hunt for a transcendental drug known as Yage.
Lee is said to be a fictionalized version of the author himself, and a follow-up to his first-person debut novel, Junkie. Burroughs is best known for writing Naked Lunch, which was highly controversial upon its 1959 release, but has gone on to be considered one of the seminal works of the Beat Generation.
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Of course, this is far from the first time Craig has gone gay for a role. Fans of the 007 series will never forget the homoerotic scene in Skyfall, in which Craig’s Bond implies he might be bi. And then there’s his other crime-solving character, Benoit Blanc, of the Knives Out films. Viewers have had their suspicions about Blanc from the jump, but after the sequel Glass Onion showed him living with another man (a very fun little cameo we won’t spoil here), writer/director Rian Johnson confirmed the detective is “obviously” queer.
Related: Daniel Craig loves gay bars and hey, we can relate
Beyond that, Craig really has ben fanning the flames of thirst of late. In a cinematic new ad for Belvedere Vodka released last month, the actor is scene dancing around the halls of a Parisian hotel in a cute necklace and black tank top. The spot had the internet in a tizzy, with some saying it gave off “funky, leather daddy vibes,” while others thought the vibes were distinctly “butch lesbian.” In short, basically everyone is picking up what Craig is putting down.
(Quick side note: Craig is married to Rachel Weisz—The Mummy, The Favourite—an actress who is equally adept at courting the adoration of folks from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum.)
Anyway, this is all very exciting, and Guadagnino feels like a great fit for the material. Between Call Me By Your Name, A Bigger Splash, and this year’s horror-romance Bones And All, the Italian filmmaker really has a knack for queer (and queer-adjacent) stories featuring complex characters and a really well-defined sense of place.
Guadagnino’s next film, Challengers, is a romantic sports comedy, due out next year, starring Zendaya, West Side Story‘s Mike Faist, and The Crown‘s Josh O’Conner. Set in the world of professional tennis, the movie will reportedly feature a queer love story as well, so we’ll be anxiously awaiting that one.
Related: That ‘Call Me By Your Name’ sequel might still happen–but will alleged cannibal Armie Hammer star???
Though Guadagnino has any number of projects in various stages of development, it’s believed Queer will be his follow-up to Challengers, and the Craig casting feels like a good sign things are moving forward quickly. As Above The Line coyly reports, they’re “hearing” that one of the young stars of Outer Banks may play the object of Lee’s affection. But that hit Netflix drama has quite a large cast of eligible bachelors, so which one ti could be remains a mystery….
Someone needs to get Benoit Blanc on that case!
By the way, here’s a quick overview of some of the male stars from Outer Banks—you know, in case you want to start doing a little detective work yourself:
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Sharpei
No matter how many times Queerty readers keep telling these authors that “gay for pay actors” is NOT thing and won’t ever catch on. They just keep on using it anyway… smh
Anyway excited to see Craig in this role but I am curious, does Guadagnino ever cast gay actors? Just wondering.
Terrycloth
It says from the director of Call me by your Name. .it is not a sequel of that movie it is a totally different movie altogether..imo they shoukd NOT make a sequel to CMBYN…Daniel Craig playing a gay man..who cares I dont..he’s not even attractive..
dbmcvey
I wish we would stop calling actors who are going to play a role of a gay person “gay for pay.”
mattpj71
Gotta say…for about the first 20 seconds of that Belvedere ad, I could have sworn I was listening to the soundtrack of John Carpenter”s movie Starman main theme…am I wrong? Beat for beat, note for note, it sounds the exact same as that awesome soundtrack, till it is drowned out…have a listen to the start of this trailer, then have a listen to the Starman soundtrack!!
Mark Smith
No reference to 1998’s “Love is the Devil”?
Oh, wait. That would mean Queerty was using film writers who actually know something about films.
My bad.
eeebee333
I was just about to note “Love is the Devil”.
As long as I’m logged in, you can mark me down as being opposed to using “gay-for-pay” non-porno actors.
overitreally
In the first couple films he did just starting out he was kind of cute. But handsome NO. James Bond NO. No no no. Ugly Is ugly. He’s got a face for radio.
linedrive
He might not be classically handsome but I find him sexy as hell. Definitely not ugly.
ShiningSex
Writers NOT doing their research is stupid. Love is the Devil came long before for him fools. Also, it’s NOT gay for pay. That doesn’t exists anywhere but in people’s mind and doesn’t apply to these kind of motion pictures.
Kangol2
Not sure whether the headline editor, Cameron Scheetz or both decided to misuse the “gay-for-pay” terminology yet again but I hope they wake up and realize how wrong and wack it is in this case. Craig is playing a gay role. That is not gay for pay.
Also, as numerous posters have pointed out, Daniel Craig played a gay man in the great Francis Bacon biopic Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon (1998). Scheetz may want to watch it, since it really does include great acting and appeared before the year 2000. As for all the claimed thirst, etc., each to his, his and their own.
BLAKENOW
who ever wrote the stupid article KNOCK IT THE EFF OFF. IT’S CALLED ACTING NOT REAL LIFE , NO ACTOR IS GAY FOR PAY UNLESS ITS PORN. Knock your woke mess off! its beyond stupid.
one more thing
Agreed, it’s moronic…..
bachy
The only film I liked Daniel Craig in is Enduring Love (2004), based on a novel by Ian McEwan in which he portrays an artist stalked by an obsessed, and murderous gay man. Like the book, it’s a gripping thriller. Check it out!
Simply could never get into him as 007, however. Doesn’t come off as glamorous or witty enough.
dwick
his Bond wasn’t meant to be glamorous or witty like Connery or Moore. His was more get his hands dirty and break bones and kill people.
bachy
@dwick: yes, you’re right. But in reimagining the character I feel like they eliminated the qualities that made 007 unique. Craig just seemed like all the other action heroes making films at the time.
Diplomat
I like Daniel Craig swishing, it’s hot.
cuteguy
I think this is excellent casting. Hopefully we can get to a place in society where it’s just as ok for a lgbtq actor to play “straight” and it’s not questioned. After all, it’s called ACTING. The fact that Tom Hanks said he wouldn’t play the lead role in Philadelphia bc he’s not lgbtq is sad bc he was excellent and gave voice to many in that generation. Tom Hanks is an ally and allies should be able to play these roles. I only have a problem if the actor is a proven homophobe and takes a role bc it’s Oscar bait. Other than that, it’s the best actor who should play a role. Now, if we only had more out lgbtq actors in the Marvel universe. And I don’t mean supporting roles. This would be much more impactful bc MCU is so mainstream
Jeffrey
Tom Hanks had it written into his contract that he wouldn’t hold hands/kiss/etc with Antonio Banderas in the movie. Denzel (also in that movie) suggested that to him. So the lead actors in this supposedly iconic movie had to stand apart from each other because the lead actors were too homophobic to kiss. That’s not an ally. (Will Smith did the same thing in 6 Degrees.) Imagine a gay actor saying that he wouldn’t kiss a woman. He would be replaced immediately.
dwick
I never thought Bond hinted at be Bi in whichever movie it was. I thought he was saying that he’d do whatever it took to get the job done for Queen and Country. If that meant playing for the other team, he’d do it.
Diplomat
DrewStarkey deeyammm
dmarcus
Oh great more straight actors playing gay. With all the LGBTQ content these days to strive for representation, why are majority of these roles played by straight actors? When queer actors get casted it’s “woke,” “it’s not acting,” “not gay enough,” “it’s only to check boxes,” and so many other negative things. But when Daniel Craigs character in Glass Onion is revealed to be gay, it’s a glorious queer representation. Wtf. Go ahead fulfill your sexual fantasy of straights going gay. This gay director doesn’t like hiring us.