Daniel Craig was out shilling his new film Cowboys and Aliens and in between questions about his wedding to Rachel Weisz (the press is still incredulous that they dared do it privately) he was also teasing some information about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and spoke about the highly provocative poster where Rooney Mara appears topless.

The quote comes from Access Hollywood:

People have opinions about it, but I think it sort of works as a poster because [Rooney] looks great. I think it sort of really illustrates the two characters in the movie very well.

Let me get this straight. The poster works because the actress looks great. Why would anyone release a poster where the actress didn’t look great. I just think that his answer really misses the point as to why people (including me) reacted so negatively to it. Craig also spoke about how violent the movie is and said it is like the Godfather and other 70s movies. That sounds fine by me. The book is violent, alarmingly so. That’s one of the things that makes it so great.

And he also talks about the sex related to the poster. Here’s what he says: “The biggest issue is sex — and it’s like, there’s nothing offensive about it,”

I’m not exactly sure how he conflates the sexual content of the film with the fact that Rooney Mara’s boob is on display on the poster. They couldn’t be two more different things. We all know that there is some serious sexual content in the film. It is a book and a film for adults. But just because there is sex — both consensual and rape — does not mean that the poster promoting the film needs or should have an image of the lead actress and heroine who is (SPOILER) raped with her boob hanging out with Daniel Craig’s arms wrapped around her. I won’t repeat my thoughts on the poster because my initial thoughts still stand but let’s be clear, sexy and violent movie does not have to lead to inappropriate poster. The connection just doesn’t fly.

Dragon Tattoo: Craig Defends Poster Nudity; Selling Film with Brutality, Sweden Learns from Fincher (Thompson on Hollywood)

Daniel Craig Defends Racy ‘Dragon Tattoo’ Poster & Says He Was Shocked By The Violence In The Film (The Playlist)

The Pornification of Lisbeth Salander (Women and Hollywood)