Bill Skarsgard rules out playing 007 but reveals interest in becoming a Bond villain

After establishing himself as one of the most recognisable faces in horror and thriller films, Bill Skarsgård is ready to move beyond playing villains. From portraying Pennywise in the It franchise to Count Orlok in Nosferatu, the Swedish actor has taken on several dark and disturbing characters. However, there is one franchise that could still tempt him to return to the antagonist's side.

Bill Skarsgard on playing villains

Speaking on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast, Skarsgård said, "For a villain, it would have to be something that felt original to me, that was something that I hadn’t done before. I feel, kind of, spent with those things. But there’s villains [that] could be really fun in different ways and if it’s the right kind."

Also Read: Robert Pattinson as the Next 007? Actor reportedly auditions for James Bond

Bill Skarsgård on missing out on James Bond casting

Although Skarsgård has expressed interest in being part of the James Bond universe, he revealed that he was never approached to audition for the iconic British spy.

"They didn’t call me about James Bond. I don’t know what that was about," he joked. "Every single British, Australian [actor] … but maybe they were like, ‘We can’t do a Swede for this guy.’ I wasn’t even thrown into the mix."

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However, the actor is not particularly interested in taking over the lead role from Daniel Craig.

He pointed towards performances by Mads Mikkelsen in Casino Royale and Javier Bardem in Skyfall as examples of the kind of one-film appearance he would enjoy.

"Just want to go in and do one Mads Mikkelsen villain," he said.

Also Read: Who is the next James Bond? Amazon MGM says, ‘a responsibility we don’t take lightly'

The actor also spoke about how instinct plays an important part in deciding which projects he takes up. “It’s not something that I’m actively looking for, but if I feel compelled to do something, yeah,” Skarsgård added. “It’s the weird thing. A lot of people ask me, what goes into picking your roles or whatever and I don’t really know how to say it other than I feel drawn or compelled to. It’s something that you can’t really put your words on it and describe why it’s happening.”

He further explained “But I’ve also noticed that I don’t want to become jaded. Which means that I think I could probably go long stretches without working and waiting for something to be compelling enough for me to work on.”

Also Read: 60 years of James Bond: Every 007 actor ranked from worst to best!

Who could be the next James Bond?

Following Daniel Craig's exit after No Time to Die, the franchise is preparing for its next chapter under filmmaker Denis Villeneuve.

Several actors have reportedly been considered for the coveted role, including Callum Turner, Jack Lowden and Josh O'Connor, who have undergone screen tests. Robert Pattinson has also reportedly tested for the part.

However, Amazon MGM Studios has not officially confirmed the casting choices.