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Adam West turned down playing James Bond, here’s why

Adam West may be one of the best Batman actors, but it turns out that the star was also up to play another hero - none other than agent 007 James Bond.

Adam West turned down playing James Bond, here's why

Adam West is one of the best Batman actors ever. However, it turns out that the acclaimed star was almost a face in another famous franchise – James Bond. The almost 007 casting came about after George Lazenby pulled out of a seven-picture deal, and producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R Broccoli set their eyes on West as a replacement.

 

Getting a chance to play Bond in the famed spy movie franchise is a dream gig for most actors. However, West turned down the opportunity, thanks to one specific reason that his Batman co-star Burt Ward revealed to Express.co.uk. West didn’t sign on to star in a James Bond movie due to the fact that he wasn’t British.

“Yes, he actually turned the role down, and the reason why [is] he thought from a technical standpoint that it should be a Brit that plays the role,” Ward said.

Ward went on to explain how it was a pity that West made the call to abandon the License to Kill on the big screen. “I think he would have been great, he would have been fabulous,” he said. “He would have been closer, in my opinion, to Sean Connery, even than Roger Moore. Sean has even more of that satirical twinkle in the eye.”

Ultimately, Sean Connery was convinced to return as James Bond in the 1971 action movie Diamonds Are Forever. Rodger Moore would then take over the gig for seven thriller movies. So, James Bond did find another face; it just wasn’t West’s.

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Currently, the search for a new James Bond is on yet again, as Daniel Craig has retired as the character. We are curious to see if another Batman peformer will be approached for the new movie. Who knows? Robert Pattison is British, so maybe West would approve that pick.

While we wait on more Bond updates, here are the 2024 movies that we can’t wait to see. Or you can look over our list of the best Batman villains of all time.