Image via MGM
A lot is still unknown about Amazon MGM Studios’ upcoming James Bond reboot. Denis Villeneuve is attached to direct the spy movie from a screenplay that is currently being written by Steven Knight. No cast has been set yet, although former 007 actor Pierce Brosnan recently revealed that he’d be open to returning to the franchise.
In an interview with Radio Times (via Deadline), Brosnan expressed interest in returning to the franchise, either as an elderly James Bond or in an entirely new role. «My wife Keely [Shaye Smith] and I have been listening to the drumbeat of expectation of who’s going to be the next James Bond. There are many great candidates out there, and I’m sure they’re going to make it a spectacle of delight,» the actor remarked. «I don’t think anyone wants to see a craggy, 72-year-old Bond, but if Villeneuve had something up his sleeve I would look at it in a heartbeat. Why not? It’s great entertainment. It could be lots of laughs. Bald caps, prosthetics… Who knows?»
Pierce Brosnan Was James Bond for 4 Movies
Image via EON Productions
Brosnan succeeded Timothy Dalton as the fifth actor to portray the titular 00 agent in Eon’s James Bond series. His first Bond movie was 1995’s GoldenEye, which was directed by Martin Campbell and grossed $356 million worldwide. GoldenEye would go on to be viewed, at least within the fandom’s eyes, as Brosnan’s best Bond movie, as well as one of the best in the entire series. The actor’s next three outings as 007 — 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies, 1999’s The World Is Not Enough, and 2002’s Die Another Day — while box office successes, were not as well received as GoldenEye.
Following Brosnan’s run, Eon rebooted the franchise in 2006 with Casino Royale, which starred Daniel Craig as a younger, more inexperienced James Bond, a move that many believe was influenced by the success of Universal’s The Bourne Identity. Craig ultimately played Bond for a total of five movies, ending with 2021’s No Time to Die, which was the first Eon movie to feature the character’s death. It was also the last Bond to feature the involvement of longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, who departed the franchise earlier this year following creative conflicts with Amazon.
Amy Pascal and David Heyman have since been tapped to produce the next James Bond movie, the 26th overall in the franchise and the first to be released by Amazon MGM Studios. Plot details remain under wraps, although Villeneuve ensured fans when he was hired that he would do the property justice. «I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery. I’m a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he’s sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come,» he said. «This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor. Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.»
Bond 26 does not yet have a release date.
