Brosnan also emphasized that, regardless of who takes over the role, it is essential for Bond to remain British
Hollywood actor Pierce Brosnan, who famously portrayed James Bond in four films, has weighed in on the ongoing debate about the future of the iconic spy character, stating that it is a “given” that the next Bond should be British.
Brosnan’s comments come in the wake of concerns over the direction of the franchise following Amazon’s acquisition of MGM Studios, which owns the rights to the Bond series. The actor made his remarks in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, where he also expressed support for the decision of long-time Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson to hand creative control to Amazon.
“It takes great courage for them to let go,” said Brosnan. “I thought it was coming for some time, but I think it was the right decision for Barbara and Michael. I hope that Amazon handles the work and the character with dignity, imagination, and respect.”
In February, Amazon, the U.S. film and television production powerhouse, announced that it would become a co-owner of the Bond franchise alongside Broccoli and Wilson, who have produced the films since Brosnan’s debut as Bond in GoldenEye (1995).
The 71-year-old actor, who played the famous secret agent from 1995 to 2002, added that while no one knows exactly what the future holds for 007 under Amazon’s control, he acknowledged that change in the industry was inevitable. “In this world that is moving so fast now, at the speed of light, (the change) does come with a certain lament,” he said.
Brosnan also emphasized that, regardless of who takes over the role, it is essential for Bond to remain British. “History has been passed on, and I’m very proud to have been part of the history and the legacy of Bond,” he remarked. “That we moved the needle, that we brought it back to life. It had been dormant for six years, and GoldenEye was such a success that it continued and went from strength to strength.”
The search for the next James Bond continues to generate considerable buzz, with British-American actor Andrew Garfield, as well as Oscar Isaac and Chilean-American Pedro Pascal, among the favorites. British actors James Norton, known for Happy Valley, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who starred in Kick-Ass and Kraven the Hunter, are also considered strong contenders.
Daniel Craig’s final outing as 007 in No Time to Die (2021) marked the end of an era for the franchise. In June 2022, Barbara Broccoli revealed that the next Bond film was still far from beginning production.
As the Bond legacy faces new horizons, Brosnan expressed his best wishes for the future of the franchise, hoping it will continue to thrive with the same success that marked his tenure.
