Pierce Brosnan Would Consider a Return to Bond, But Not As 007

Never say never again… again? In most cases, actors who leave the role of James Bond abandon the tux and martinis completely exhausted and never wanting to return. Daniel Craig‘s colorful, evocative language and George Lazenby’s surprising abandonment of the role are the most famous examples of an actor forcefully leaving the part, but even Sean Connery, who did actually come back twice, only did so because producers met his exorbitant paycheck requirements.

The one exception to the rule is Pierce Brosnan, who had his run cut short after the abysmal Die Another Day. Brosnan reportedly wanted to stay in the part before he was replaced by Craig. But with Craig now definitively gone and Denis Villeneuve rebooting the franchise for Amazon, the streamer’s first since acquiring the rights from Eon Productions, would Brosnan return? The answer is “Yes,” but not in the way you’d think.

“Of course, people ask about Bond – ‘would you?’ and whatever – but that’s another man’s job,” Brosnan told GQ in a surprisingly candid interview. While that sure sounds like he’s dismissed the idea, Brosnan continued: “But the possibilities of working within the film, entertaining…,” he said, pausing as he considers working with Villeneuve. “So it’s going to be exciting to see what happens… I think everything changes, everything falls apart, so you just sit back and enjoy it all.”

Okay, that might be a frustrating answer for those who want Brosnan to definitively reclaim the part, but it is fitting for the latest 007 adventure. No Time to Die put a definitive cap on the previous Bond franchise, not just because it saw Craig’s Bond die in an explosion, but also because it marked the end of Eon’s shepherding of the franchise, a role they’ve enjoyed since introducing Connery as Bond in 1962’s Dr. No. Since then, only a handful of Bond adventures have been made outside of their auspices (including 1983’s Thunderball remake Never Say Never Again).

So as mutable as the franchise has been thus far, it’s all been run by Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and his children. With Amazon MGM in control, there’s room for a different voice, for better or for worse. And as much as Villeneuve has a good track record, it’s not clear how his epic storytelling style will translate to the jet-setting super spy.

Or, to put it another way, there’s room to bring back Brosnan in some capacity, even if it’s not Bond. The franchise has recycled actors before, sometimes in major roles. The most notable example is Charles Gray, who first appeared as MI6 agent Dikko Henderson in You Only Live Twice (1967) before playing Bond’s arch-enemy Blofeld four years later in Diamonds Are Forever. Lest one think of such recasting as just a thing of the movie making past, Eon considered pulling an even bigger trick for Skyfall, getting Connery to play the groundskeeper Kincaid (the role eventually went to Albert Finney).

For his part, Brosnan isn’t worrying about those details, and prefers to take the long view. “Sometimes you entertain it and sometimes you just move on,” he said of such speculations. The Bond franchise “just really gets in the way of life… I’ve said everything I have to say about it,” he continued. But notice that he never said never, and that makes all the difference.