Hugh Jackman recalls why he refused to play 007: Those scripts were too ridiculous

Daniel Craig was seen as the ideal choice for the modern James Bond. He starred in a series of films that redefined the film series and set a new direction for the adventures of the 007 agent. However, his Bond era has come to an end. With the release of the movie "No Time to Die", Craig's James Bond adventure ended. However, if Hugh Jackman had accepted the invitation to play Bond in "Casino Royale", Craig might not have started this Bond journey at all.

Jackman admitted in an interview that he was approached when the filmmakers were looking for a Bond actor for Casino Royale. However, the actor was not interested in playing James Bond, even though it would be a dream come true for many other artists. However, Jackman did not approve of the style presented in previous Bond films. In addition, he was worried that if he took the role, coupled with starring in the X-Men series of films, he would not have time to do other things.

"I was about to do X-Men 2 and my agent called and asked if I would be interested in playing Bond. I was thinking the scripts were getting too outlandish and I thought they needed to be grittier and more realistic. And the response was, 'Oh, you don't get to say anything, just sign the contract.' I was also worried that if I did Bond and X-Men, I wouldn't have time for anything else."

The actor criticised the early 007 adventures, saying they became increasingly outlandish and bizarre, which did not appeal to him, and he felt the character of Bond needed to change.

Although the role ultimately did not go to Jackman, the Bond films did become "harder and more realistic" as he wished. However, Jackman does not want to be typecast, and he is already at risk of being typecast just by playing the role of Wolverine. If he plays Bond again, the situation will be even worse, and the actor is eager to show his talents in completely different roles, so outside of the screen, he also went on stage to perform in musicals and other works.