Hugh Jackman Says He'd Conisder Playing James Bond

Hugh Jackman Says He'd Conisder Playing James Bond

Hugh Jackman states he was in the running to play James Bond before Daniel Craig was cast and goes on to say that if Craig vacates the role, he's definitely interested in replacing him.

By MarkJulian - Oct 15, 2011 12:10 PM EST
Filed Under: Action
Source: via The Press Association


Source: The Press Association

Hugh Jackman has revealed he would be interested in acquiring 007 status if Daniel Craig chooses not to return to the role.

Hugh's name was actually on the shortlist back in 2006 when casting was underway for Casino Royale (2006), but he declined to pursue the role.

He recalled: "I got a call from my agent saying, 'There is some possible interest in you for Bond, are you interested?' At the time I wasn't. I was about to shoot X-Men 2 and Wolverine had become this thing in my life and I didn't want to be doing two such iconic characters at once.

"I think every male at some point thinks about playing James Bond so it was not right then, but it may be right if it comes back."


He also went on to say that he would embrace the challenge if he decided to actually take on the challenge, saying: "I think you've got to be scared as an actor and keep taking risks. It doesn't always work out but it's a healthy place to be."









The James Bond film series is a British series of motion pictures based on the fictional character of MI6 agent James Bond (code designation "007"), who originally appeared in a series of books by Ian Fleming. Earlier films were based on Fleming's novels and short stories, followed later by films with original storylines. It is the longest continually-running film series in history, having been in ongoing production from 1962 to the present (with a six-year hiatus between 1989 and 1995). In that time Eon Productions has produced 22 films, at an average of about one every two years, usually produced at Pinewood Studios. The series has grossed just over US$5 billion to date, making it the second-highest-grossing film series of all-time (behind Harry Potter). Six actors have portrayed 007 in the Eon series, with the Connery films largely setting the style and mood of the series, and Roger Moore starring in the most films.

Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman co-produced the Eon films until 1975, when Broccoli became the sole producer. Since 1995, Broccoli's daughter Barbara and stepson Michael G. Wilson have co-produced them. Broccoli's (and until 1975, Saltzman's) family company, Danjaq, has held ownership of the series through Eon, and maintained co-ownership with United Artists since the mid-1970s. From the release of Dr. No (1962) up to For Your Eyes Only (1981) the films were distributed solely by UA. When Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer bought UA in 1981, MGM/UA Entertainment Co. was formed and distributed the films until 1995. MGM solely distributed three films from 1997 to 2002 after UA retired as a mainstream studio. From 2006 to present MGM and Columbia Pictures have co-distributed the franchise, following the 2005 aquisition of MGM by a consortium led by Columbia's parent company, Sony Pictures Entertainment. In November 2010, MGM filed for bankruptcy. Following MGM's emergence from bankruptcy, Columbia has been co-production partner of the series with Danjaq.

Independently of the Eon series, there have been three additional film or TV productions with the character of James Bond – a satirical film spoof based on Casino Royale (1967), a remake of Thunderball entitled Never Say Never Again starring Sean Connery (1983) and a pre-Eon 1954 American television adaptation of Casino Royale.




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Anthrax
Anthrax - 10/15/2011, 12:19 PM
i could see him playing bond
skullgmo44
skullgmo44 - 10/15/2011, 12:25 PM
no
jazzman
jazzman - 10/15/2011, 12:28 PM
well if he played James Bond he would be the 2nd Australian actor to play James Bond the first was George Lazenby
MovieMaster
MovieMaster - 10/15/2011, 12:38 PM
no
Odin
Odin - 10/15/2011, 12:39 PM
he'd be perfect
OrsonRandall
OrsonRandall - 10/15/2011, 12:43 PM
No
Deadshot
Deadshot - 10/15/2011, 12:48 PM
no
PaulRom
PaulRom - 10/15/2011, 12:49 PM
Maybe
TopCat89
TopCat89 - 10/15/2011, 12:51 PM
Michael Fassbender for Bond!

Jackman is Wolverine!
ballstothewall
ballstothewall - 10/15/2011, 12:56 PM
No to both Jackman and Fassbender. James Bond needs to be english. That's what main Bond fans know about what to cast.
SuperC
SuperC - 10/15/2011, 12:57 PM
No!
AC1
AC1 - 10/15/2011, 1:00 PM
X2 was released in 2003, if his name was on the shortlist in 2006 then he probably meant X3 in the interview.

I could see Hugh as Bond. But I do prefer Daniel Craig as Bond, and Hugh as Wolverine, and should Daniel decide to step down after Bond 23, I say Michael Fassbender should replace him, provided they can work around his X-Men schedule, as his Magneto portrayal is my one of my favourite CBM characters to date.
BooYah
BooYah - 10/15/2011, 1:01 PM
Idris Elba would be a better Bond then Jackman.
GhostXIII
GhostXIII - 10/15/2011, 1:02 PM
Fassbender would be perfect. Jackman is good, but Fassbender would be excellent.
PaulRom
PaulRom - 10/15/2011, 1:02 PM
Yeah I really want Fassbender as Bond as well. Wouldn't mind Christian Bale, Henry Cavill or Robert Downey Jr. being next though.
AC1
AC1 - 10/15/2011, 1:03 PM
@ballstothewall Fassbender is British, he was born in Ireland to an Irish Mother, only his father is German. Bond himself is half Scottish and half Swedish in the books, so not a big departure.
And beside, while a British Bond actor is always the best route to go down, an American or Australian might do a god job. I mean we have kind of stolen Superman, Spider-Man, and Batman from America. Seems almost fair if they were to get a shot at Bond.
TopCat89
TopCat89 - 10/15/2011, 1:08 PM
@ballstothewall I'm not too bothered about the actor's nationality as long as they can pull off a british accent, which Michael Fassbender can most certainly do. I also think Michael Fassbender has the suave bond look about him. At the moment i can't personally picture any actor more suited to fill the shoes once Daniel Craig leaves. I hope you at least agree the Benedict Cumberbatch rumour is an awful choice.
SuperC
SuperC - 10/15/2011, 1:09 PM
There is 2 guys I have in mind. First is Idris Elba. He is a good actor and as a first black Bond it would certainly boost the franchise maybe toi records in terms of sales. If not Maybe Michael Fassbender (Mageneto X-men first class. I think he can easily take the role.

I m also in favor of a woman to take the role of Bond. Why not? It should be a woman in a the 30's or older not too young.
TopCat89
TopCat89 - 10/15/2011, 1:10 PM
@ACira I didn't know Fassbender was british....ballstothewall, well there you go.
FriendlyNeighborhoodSpidey
FriendlyNeighborhoodSpidey - 10/15/2011, 1:10 PM
CONISDER!!!! lol. Am I the only one that noticed? lol. Anyway, I guess I could see him as Bond. MAYBE.
bizzarro
bizzarro - 10/15/2011, 1:17 PM
YES YES YES.DEFINATELY.JACKMAN FOR BOND...LETS START THE NOMINATION..
supafunxsta
supafunxsta - 10/15/2011, 1:20 PM
@balls to the wall.........um you didnt like sean connery a SCOTTISH actor?
VanCityKid
VanCityKid - 10/15/2011, 1:26 PM
Nah I can't see it. I'm suprised nobody has nominated Jeremy Renner for Bond since it seems like he's getting just about every damn role these days...
jazzman
jazzman - 10/15/2011, 1:31 PM
@ACira

American actors played more british characters on screen.

ballstothewall
ballstothewall - 10/15/2011, 1:43 PM
OOPS.. Sorry guys. BTW I THINK FASSBENDER WOULD BE AWESOME FOR BOND. I WOULD WANT TO DIG UP MORE FROM BALE. @SUPA WELL A GUY FROM SOME PART OT ENGLAND. CONNERY IS BY FAR THE BEST. LAZENBY SUCKED. PIERCE BROSNAN WAS OKAY,NOTHING SPECIAL,HE WAS ONLY GOOD IN GOLDENEYE. I think "Die Another Day" is by far the worst. Craig was fine,well abit too stiff for bond but wtv. Fassbender looks exactly like Ian Flemming's bond.
Thablaqkgoat
Thablaqkgoat - 10/15/2011, 1:44 PM
Jackman > Craig, so I would be down. I don't like Daniel Craig as James Bond, it never sat well with me
RexDartEskimoSpy
RexDartEskimoSpy - 10/15/2011, 1:46 PM


I could swear that's that other Aussie actor, Guy Pearce.

I know it's an unpopular opinion, but personally, I can't wait for them to ditch Daniel Craig. But Jackman? I dunno. Clearly, Fassbender's the frontrunner now. The man is perfect. (And while yes, he's a British citizen, he grew up County Kerry, which means he's Irish. There's a huge f*cking difference.)
GeneralVeers
GeneralVeers - 10/15/2011, 1:47 PM
Jackman would make a great bond.
AsianVersionOfET
AsianVersionOfET - 10/15/2011, 1:53 PM
I like Craig. He IS Bond and WILL always be Bond.
AlexDeLarge87
AlexDeLarge87 - 10/15/2011, 1:54 PM
Fassbender is more fit to play next Simon Templar aka The Saint. Definitely no Jackman as Bond.
Craig is perfect Bond if he quits they should not do more Bond movies. PERIOD!
AlexDeLarge87
AlexDeLarge87 - 10/15/2011, 1:55 PM
They should focus on Simon Templar next!
Deadshot
Deadshot - 10/15/2011, 2:06 PM
"I like Craig. He IS Bond and WILL always be Bond."

No on both accounts, both literally and figuratively.
superbatspiderman
superbatspiderman - 10/15/2011, 2:39 PM
I think he would be awesome but I think that the next Bond should be Michael Fassbender or Tom Hardy (as a more dark Bond).
Talontd
Talontd - 10/15/2011, 2:56 PM
IDRIS ELBA FOR BOND!!!!
mgeoff88
mgeoff88 - 10/15/2011, 3:21 PM
That's interesting. As cool as it would be to see him play James Bond, I think he's too gruff for the role. If he's going to be playing any kind of government agent, I say cast him as The Destroyer aka Remo Williams.

For the next Bond I say Michael Fassbender or Henry Cavill.
VanCityKid
VanCityKid - 10/15/2011, 3:44 PM
Have any of you actually ever read one Ian Fleming's novels?

His impression of Bond's look was eerily like Sean Connery:



but Craig's Bond was actually the closest representation wise.

Bartman87
Bartman87 - 10/15/2011, 4:31 PM
Connery was great as Bond, I like the action of Craig's Bond. Many consider Lazenby's Bond to be under-rated, but I don't think I could get past the Wolverine thing to watch a Jackman Bond.
bcom77
bcom77 - 10/15/2011, 5:04 PM
@VanCityKid - I read Casino Royale when it was announced that it would be the next movie. after reading it I was still a bit skeptical of Daniel Craig in the role but after seeing the movie I felt he absolutely nailed exactly how Bond was written in that book.

I secretly wish that if a live action version of The Dark Knight Returns is ever made that Hugh Jackman would play Batman in that. I can see him still being in top physical form in his late 40's / early 50's. In my opinion, he'd be perfect.
HughJasol
HughJasol - 10/15/2011, 5:11 PM
I say yes.
AlexDeLarge87
AlexDeLarge87 - 10/15/2011, 5:25 PM
No more Bond after Craig!

We need The Saint, Diabolik and Modesty Blaise!!!

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