Tom Hiddleston 'too smug' to play James Bond

Tom Hiddleston. Photo / Getty

After saying he'd rather "slash my wrists" than do a final Bond movie, sources say Daniel Craig is ready to sign on to return as 007 after Bond bosses decided Tom Hiddleston is "too smug and not tough enough" for the role.

Multiple sources tell Page Six that Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli has "just about persuaded Daniel Craig to do one more Bond movie".

Daniel Craig attends the Royal World Premiere of 'Skyfall'. Photo / Getty

This comes after Broccoli produced his hit off-Broadway production of Othello with David Oyelowo, which won Craig the serious acting plaudits he craved.

A Hollywood source said, "Daniel was very pleased with how Othello went and the great reviews. Now Daniel's talks with Barbara are going in the right direction. They have a script - screenwriting duo Neal Purvis and Robert Wade [who've penned several Bond movies] are writing and they'll go into production as soon as Daniel is ready to commit."

The source added, "Plus, Barbara Broccoli doesn't like Tom Hiddleston, he's a bit too smug and not tough enough to play James Bond".

Daniel Craig and Barbara Broccoli. Photo / Getty

British actor Hiddleston's cringe-making romance with Taylor Swift sealed his fate with Bond producers, we're told, followed by his self-righteous Golden Globes speech, pontificating about his trip to South Sudan, and how Doctors Without Borders "binge-watched" his series.

In 2015 Craig was asked if he'd be back again after finishing a difficult Spectre shoot, and replied, "I'd rather ... slash my wrists ... I'm over it at the moment."

When asked who should take over the role, he added, "Look, I don't give a f**k".

But apparently now he does.

Actor Tom Hiddleston. Photo / Getty

Another source added, "Daniel had such a good time in Othello, produced by Barbara that he's ready to do a final Bond".

Wade recently said the new film would be different from Spectre.

"You've got to say something about Bond's place in the world, which is Britain's place in the world. But things are moving so quickly now, that becomes tricky. With people like [Donald] Trump, the Bond villain has become a reality."

Reps for Craig and Broccoli didn't get back to the New York Post.