Daniel Craig Worried 'Dragon Tattoo' Would Be 'Sanitized'

'However much I wanted to work with David [Fincher], I was a little concerned,' actor tells MTV News.
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz


Daniel Craig in "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
Photo: Columbia Pictures

Fans of Stieg Larsson's book "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" know full well that the story is dark, violent and ventures into very NC-17 territory, something big movie studios aren't too keen on producing these days. As a fan of the original work himself, Daniel Craig recently revealed to MTV News that his only reservation in taking on the lead role in David Fincher's English version was that Sony and Fincher might do away with the darker, violent elements in favor of better marketability.

"I'd read the book years ago, and a lot of it stayed with me, and then I got the call," Craig explained about initially being offered the role "out of the blue." "Amy Pascal from Sony called me, and David [Fincher] said, 'Can we have dinner?' and they sent me the script. However much I wanted to work with David, I was a little concerned," he added. "Understandably, I thought that they'd maybe try to sanitize it — It's a big movie, and they have to make their money back — but they hadn't, and David was in charge, so it was a no-brainer."

When asked what he enjoys about playing more flawed, vulnerable characters, like Mikael Blomkvist, Craig said he appreciates their realness, which makes them more believable.

"That's the appeal of the character, the only thing I wanted to do is make him real. He's a guy, he's a man, he's very happy in his own skin, he doesn't have to go around beating his chest, 'Hey, I'm here.' He's like, 'This is the world I live in; I'm happy with it; I know my place in it.' He's truthful, he's honest, he has no problem when it comes down to it, he runs away and goes to her [Lisbeth Salander]. I would: She's more than capable," he said of the fierce, independent and intelligent character played by Rooney Mara.

Referring to their characters' somewhat-unexpected love scene, Craig added: "I think genuinely, it's the last thing on his mind. I'm just being truthful about the way men think," he said with a smile.

"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," which opened Tuesday, is rated R by the MPAA for "brutal violent content including rape and torture, strong sexuality, graphic nudity and language."

Check out everything we've got on "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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