Daniel Craig Does Esquire, the August 2011 Issue

Newlywed (though he wasn’t at the time of the interview) Daniel Craig is on the cover of the August 2011 issue of Esquire magazine to promote two of his upcoming movies, “Aliens & Cowboys” and “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.”

The magazine also comes with a stunning spread of the actor, all icy cold blue gaze, brooding and impeccable style – an image of Craig many have come to associate involuntarily with James Bond.

In the interview, the British actor says he doesn’t mind said association, because he realizes how lucky he was when he landed the part, especially since few seemed convinced he could pull it off.

As fans may recall, Craig was the first blonde-haired and blue-eyed Bond, and many a skeptic said he would undoubtedly ruin the franchise if only for that.

It turns out he didn’t. In fact, he’s about to start working on a much-anticipated installment soon, which will be directed by famous director Sam Mendes.

“This has become my way, it’s as simple as that. I mean, since I’ve just become James Bond. And I think, you know, that means being something that people feel they own,” Craig says of the sudden wave of attention after the first Bond film he did.

The irony was that he’d been around for many years before that and few paid attention to him.

“And all of the sudden I’m getting magazine covers, when I got nothing for ten years before that. I say it’s just pure luck,” the actor underlines.

As for the other film he has coming out soon, the remake of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” Craig says it’s the kind of production that one rarely sees these days.

“It’s as adult as you can possibly make it. This is adult drama. I grew up, as we [expletive]-ing all did, watching The Godfather and that, movies that were made for adults,” he says.

“And this is a $100 million R-rated movie. Nobody makes those anymore. And Fincher, he’s not holding back. They’ve given him free rein. He showed me some scenes recently, and my hand was over my mouth, going, Are you [expletive]-ing serious?” Craig adds.

Before Fincher’s film comes out, though, Craig will be in “Cowboys & Aliens,” opposite Olivia Wilde.