Daniel Craig may not return as Bond as he is busy with `The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo`

London: The Bond franchise has been revived but heartthrob Daniel Craig may not return as 007 in the next film.

The British actor signed on for the lead in `The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo`, after it was announced earlier this year that producers, MGM studios, had scrapped the Bond franchise due to lack of funds. Now the 23rd James Bond movie is back on track after MGM filed for bankruptcy to clear its rumoured USD 4 billion debts. Plans to press ahead with the movie, with a November 2012 release, have been revived and the company has vowed to release a new 007 film every two years. The report into MGM`s finances also stated that it would own half the rights to the new film, bringing in a partner to boost the coffers, but hoped to regain full ownership of future Bond films. Director Sam Mendes, who had quit the project earlier is back on board as director, but Craig`s role is doubtful, reported a website. "Daniel is determined to return to the role but if the new schedule clashes with filming of the ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ trilogy, he will have no choice but to quit 007," said a source close to the actor. The 42-year-old will play journalist Michael Blomkvist in the `The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo`, with Rooney Mara playing hacker Elspeth Salander. The shooting for the thriller has already begun and Craig will also appear in the next two films, `The Girl Who Played With Fire` and `The Girl Who Stirred The Hornet`s Nest`. PTI