Bourne director Paul Greengrass was offered a Bond film but felt too "loyal

Jason Bourne director Paul Greengrass says he was offered a Bond film to direct, but turned it down out of loyalty to his own series.

“They asked me after I did Bourne Supremacy,” Greengrass said on The Rest Is Classified podcast.

“I have immense admiration and respect for what [producers] Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson did with that. And [Daniel Craig] was a fantastic James Bond."

Judging by the timelines, it appears Greengrass was being lined up to helm Casino Royale, a job that went to GoldenEye director Martin Campbell to help shepherd in another fresh 007 after doing the same with Pierce Brosnan.

For Greengrass, the decision was a simple one – as he compared it to crossing the divide in one of sport's most iconic sports rivalries (but let's ignore that has already happened on multiple occasions for this metaphor to work).

"It's a bit like if you play for Manchester United, you can’t sign for Man City, you know?" Greengrass offered. You wouldn’t feel right about that. You feel loyal. I do."

Bourne and Bond both went toe-to-toe in the 2000s and 2010s, each showcasing their own brand of hard-hitting, gritty spycraft.

Both franchises have laid dormant for a while, however. 2016's Jason Bourne was the last entry in that series, while No Time to Die killed off Daniel Craig's James Bond. The hunt for a new 007 goes on, with frontrunners reportedly including Jacob Elordi and Jack Lowden. Denis Villeneuve is on board to direct Bond 26.

For more, check out our rankings of the best James Bond films – for your eyes only.