At the moment the fans of the James Bond movies are in that special time period where everything is in flux. As we wait for further news on what’s going on with James Bond 26, there’s plenty of time to analyze, pontificate, and speculate about where 007’s future is headed. So leave it to Hugh Jackman to drop a Vogue cover with Blake Lively that shows us what his version of Bond could have looked like; an occurrence which has left me with several thoughts.
Jackman, Hugh Jackman Dazzles In A Tux For Vogue
One of the most promising actors who almost played James Bond over the course of the series’ storied history, Hugh Jackman is a tantalizing “what if” for any fan of Ian Fleming’s creation. And that possibility has been freshly stoked thanks to a Vogue cover starring Blake Lively, in promotion of her upcoming film It Ends With Us, with the Deadpool & Wolverine star as her leading man.
Directed by the one and only Baz Luhrmann, you can see the results of that shoot below:
Anyone else feel like running out and getting a copy of Vogue right about now? Seriously, knowing that Jackman was asked to audition during the search for Casino Royale’s leading man makes this image all the more beautiful to behold. Especially when Blake Lively is looking similar to Ursula Andress’ Vesper Lynd from the 1967 spoof version of that same story.
Hugh Jackman was pretty pleased as punch to get the call as well. When sharing this image to his own social media presence, he told the following story of how he was drafted into Ms. Lively’s Secret Service:
When one gets the privileged call to be a part of a @voguemagazine shoot - you don’t blink, you say yesssss! No less for their September issue. To stand with my friend, the extraordinarily creative, smart and talented @blakelively. To have the vision come to life in what felt like a full blown cinematic experience by @bazluhrmann and @catherinemartindesigns. I keep coming back to one word … iconic. Thank you to the team of highly respected artists that made this happen.
It should be noted that this cover is indeed inspired by the works of Alfred Hitchcock, and isn’t just a wish fulfillment exercise when it comes to the world of 007. But considering how Hitchcock was one of the directors that almost made a James Bond movie, I’m afraid I’m going to have to stand my ground on this. Which includes sharing a mixed bag of thoughts when it comes to what we see here, and the delightful possibilities it inspires.
I Have Mixed Feelings On Hugh Jackman As Bond
On one hand, I could have totally seen Hugh Jackman stepping into the world of James Bond; and if it wasn’t for the next 007’s age requirement I still could. That’s not a knock on the man, because at 55 years old the dude still rocks at dusting up his enemies and dressing to the nines. I also think that if we’d gotten a Jackman era of Bond adventures starting with Casino Royale, it would have been a hell of a ride.
But at the same time, I can’t say that missing this particular boat is a totally wasted opportunity. Jackman’s reason for passing on 007 was, quite frankly, due to his commitment to playing Wolverine in the X-Men movies. And because of that decision, we got the Daniel Craig James Bond movies out of the deal, which pushed the envelope of what the series could offer right to the very end.
If Hugh Jackman made Casino Royale, we may have never seen No Time To Die or Logan. Considering how those movies wrapped these legendary characters on some tear jerking high notes, I think we’d have been all the poorer to have missed out on those experiences.
That dose of reality isn’t going to stop me from thinking about an alternate universe where Mr. Jackman is kicking ass and taking names while dressed in the finest fashions. And who knows, maybe he’ll pick up some roles adjacent to that sort of exercise in his career to come. Unless Ryan Reynolds’ prophecy comes true, and Marvel does have the man playing Wolverine until he’s 90.
If you want to see Hugh Jackman wrecking shit up as only he can, you can do so by going to see Deadpool & Wolverine in theaters now. Or, you can revisit his past exploits through your Disney+ subscription, as that is the home for offerings such as Logan, and the unsung gem that is The Wolverine.
