Aaron Taylor-Johnson as James Bond: How Sheffield's Sean Bean got close to taking on the iconic 007 role

Taylor-Johnson has reportedly met with 007 producers amid rumours he is to become the next 007.

The 32-year-old supposedly met to discuss the iconic role following Daniel Craig's exit from the franchise after his fifth appearance as the secret agent in 2021 smash No Time To Die.

Going back a couple of decades, Sheffield’s own Sean Bean starred in the 1995 film Goldeneye as Bond’s colleague 006 Alec Trevelyan, who appears to die at the beginning of the film but has actually faked his disappearance and eventually resurfaces as Janus, the head of a Russian crime syndicate.

Bond and Janus then do battle during the rest of the film, which saw the first appearance of Pierce Brosnan in the role, as well as Judi Dench as Bond’s boss M and Samatha Bond as her secretary, Miss Moneypenny.

Goldeneye director Martin Campbell told The Star’s sister paper the Sheffield Telegraph that Sean had been considered to play Bond before he became 006. “He could easily have done so, though despite all the speculation we knew in our minds we would go for Pierce Brosnan,” he said.

The director said that they chose Sean to be the Bond villain in Goldeneye because they wanted to appeal to younger audiences. Traditionally, the baddie roles in the films were taken by older actors such as Worksop-born Donald Pleasance, Curt Jurgens and Charles Gray.

In the event, Daniel Craig was next in line after Pierce Brosnan, taking on the role for more than 15 years.

Then, when Pierce Brosnan decided to walk away in 2004, Sean Bean talked to The Star about the prospect of a return to the world of 007.He said: “I’ve played a few bad guys, including in the James Bond film Goldeneye a few years ago... First of all, I think Pierce is really good in the role so I don't see why he doesn't do one more.“As to me playing James Bond, well, getting killed as 006 in Goldeneye, I think that sort of puts me out of the picture, wouldn’t you say?“So I think I'm not in the running. Not that I’d mind playing James Bond at all. It’s sort of a complete fantasy, isn’t it?"

The Star’s review of Goldeneye was pretty cutting about Pierce Brosnan’s debut, saying: “Remington Steele is no match for Sheffield steel” (TV crime drama Remington Steele was another of Brosnan’s famous roles).

The review goes on to say that Bond is “easily outclassed by the villains – Sheffield’s Sean Bean drops the local accent and emerges as an accomplished villain, a cool killer with much more charisma than his prettier rival and boasting a snarl that James Mason would have been proud of”.