The role instead went to Daniel Craig and the rest, as they say, is history.
Explaining his reason for turning down the life changing opportunity to play James Bond, Jackman said: "The scripts had become so unbelievable and crazy."
He added: "I was about to do X-Men 2, and a call came from my agent asking if I’d be interested in Bond.
"I just felt the time that the scripts had become so unbelievable and crazy, and I felt like they needed to become grittier and real. And the response was: ‘Oh, you don’t get a say. You just have to sign on.'"
So far, one Irishman, a Welshman, two Englishmen, A Scotsman, and the Australian George Lazenby have all played the role of James Bond.
While some film buffs will no doubt point out that Bond was also played by David Niven and a host of others in the 1967 spoof comedy, 'Casino Royal', with Woody Allen playing Bond's nephew.