Columbia Pictures willrelease Bond 22 on May 2, 2008,franchise producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli confirmed in a jointannouncement yesterday [20] with Sony and MGM.

Daniel Craig will reprise his role as the British super-spy in an announcement that precedes his first outing as 007 in the highly anticipated Casino Royale, which is set to open in North America and the UK onNov 17.

"As we wrap production on Casino Royale we couldn't be more excited about the direction the franchise isheading with Daniel Craig," Wilson and Broccoli said.

"Daniel has taken the origins of Ian Fleming's James Bond portraying, withemotional complexity, a darker and edgier 007."

The story for EON Productions' Bond 22 has yet to be announced.