James Bond casting rumors started flying right after the last Bond film flitted out of theaters. They haven’t stopped since. We’ve spent years and years of covering the “who will play James Bond” story, and frankly I think we here at Cinema Blend, along with just about everyone else reporting this sort of thing, are dead sick of it.

So, I really hope this time the decision is for real, just so I can stop covering it. But keep in mind that over the past months and years we’ve heard more than once someone claiming that an actor has been definitively cast as Bond… and in every case they’ve been wrong. We’ve even heard this guy’s name as confirmed and then unconfirmed for the part before.

All that said, UK Newspaper The Daily Mail claims that Layer Cake star Daniel Craig has been definitively cast in the role of James Bond for the upcoming 21st Bond flick, Casino Royale.

Now on to all the reasons why this makes no sense and/or may not be true. First off, I have absolutely no idea as the credibility of The Daily Mail. British readers, email me. They don’t site any sources, nor do they hint at how they know this, so there’s plenty reason to be suspicious. Secondly, we’ve heard for the past couple of months, directly from the movie’s director Martin Campbell and one of its screenwriters, Paul Haggis that they’re going for a MUCH younger Bond this time. Both have specifically said they’re looking for someone around the age of 27 or 28. Daniel Craig is 37, and looks every day of it. This isn’t an old stipulation by the way, as recently as last week Campbell was out talking about how he’s going to have a younger, gadget-free James Bond.

So look, The Daily Mail says they know for certain, but this casting makes absolutely no sense, unless everyone involved with the project is either confused or has been flat out lying just to throw all of us off. Frankly, that’d be no surprise. Haggis and Campbell have already contradicted each other on some specifics. I’ve come to the conclusion that no one has any clue as to where this project is going. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to hear that the franchise’s nefarious and generally pigheaded producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson completely ignored the wants of their director and just cast someone willy nilly because they felt like it, leaving Campbell and Haggis embarrassed and huliated. That’d be about par for the course with what the James Bond franchise has become.

The Daily Mail says their assertion will be confirmed later this week. So if you don’t hear anything by Friday, toss this one on the pile with all the other false Bond rumors.