Michael Fassbender believes he is too old to play James Bond - despite being nine years younger than current 007 Daniel Craig.

Michael Fassbender

Michael Fassbender

The 39-year-old actor has been tipped as one of the favourites to don the British big screen spy's famous tuxedo when Craig - who has four films under his belt - decides he's had enough.

But Fassbender believes he looks too aged to portray the character, even though Craig is 49 and still going and took the job when he was 38 when he shot his first film 'Casino Royale'.

When quizzed about his interest in the secret agent part in an interview by GQ magazine, he said: "Bond! Is this rumour still going round? You would have thought I was out of the bookies by now."

When pushed on whether he would take the part if offered, he added: "To be honest, no. As an acting role, I think Daniel has done such a cracking job in this age group. Look at me! I look about 50! No, I think the franchise needs something new."

Although Fassbender is ruling himself out of the running to be 007 he has given the future of the franchise a lot of thought and thinks an origin story would be interesting.

He mused: "What about we start the film back in Sandhurst, army training, rather than on a yacht, or he's in the Middle East on an op and gets thrown in the brig for insubordination. He's going to get court-martialed ... I have thought about it a lot. The film could start off in Sandhurst and how he became a 'double 0'. M could walk in and say to him, 'Bond, there's a 00 project but it's going to be totally off the book, black ops, and you've got to go into prison undetected. I just love Bond. Doesn't everyone? I grew up with him. It's always a fun conversation to have."

As well as conceiving a plot for a Bond film, the 'X-Men: Apocalypse' star has also thought about who would be a good fit for 007 and thinks 27-year-old 'Unbroken' star Jack O'Connell would be great and he also sees no reason why a woman couldn't be cast in the role - originally created by writer Ian Fleming.

Irish/German actor Fassbender said: "Bond should be someone in their early twenties. Maybe someone like Jack O'Connell would be good? Or even better, how about Jane Bond? A woman. One thing is for sure, it won't be anyone on the bookies' lists. It never is."

As well as Fassbender - who is dating Swedish actress Alicia Vikander - other names in the frame for Bond include 'Poldark' star Aidan Turner, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba and Damian Lewis.

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