Bill Skarsgard says he is finished with long villain arcs

Bill Skarsgard told podcast host Josh Horowitz that he has exhausted his appetite for playing recurring villains. The 36-year-old actor, known for his roles in the It films and The Crow, said he now approaches dark character offers with greater selectivity than in previous years.

Skarsgard stated that he feels spent on traditional villainy and requires a fresh angle to return to the genre. "For a villain, it would have to be something that felt original to me, that was something that I hadn't done before," he said. He added that while some antagonists could be fun, the role must fit specific criteria to earn his interest.

The conversation turned to the long-discussed possibility of Skarsgard joining the James Bond franchise. Horowitz asked about his interest in the series, prompting Skarsgard to joke that the producers never reached out. "Maybe they were like, 'We can't do a Swede for this guy,'" Skarsgard quipped. He noted that he was not even considered for the part.

Skarsgard expressed a clear preference for a single villain appearance over a long-term lead role. He agreed with Horowitz that committing to the Bond series for 10 or 15 years held little appeal. Instead, he cited Mads Mikkelsen and Javier Bardem as models for the type of engagement he wants. These actors took on individual antagonists within the franchise without binding themselves to a decade of performance.

His comments come as studios search for the next actor to play 007 ahead of Denis Villeneuve's upcoming film. Callum Turner, Jack Lowden, and Josh O'Connor previously screen tested for the role. On Friday, reports indicated that Robert Pattinson also underwent the process. Nicholas Hoult has emerged as another potential contender for the lead position.

While the Bond casting search continues, Skarsgard is currently working in Peter Berg's war film, The Mosquito Bowl. The movie is showing in theaters now. It is scheduled to arrive on Netflix on Nov. 25.