Pierce Brosnan has said he could still “get away with” playing James Bond, as speculation continues to mount over the direction of the 007 films now that the franchise is owned by Amazon.
The 71-year-old Irish actor played the iconic British spy character in four films: GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999) and Die Another Day (2002).
During an appearance on the Today show to promote his latest role as the patriarch of a London gang in the Guy Ritchie show MobLand, Brosnan was asked by host Savannah Guthrie whether he could still play Bond.
“I think I could get away with it, yes,” he replied. “In a pinch.”
When Guthrie asked whether he would want to, Brosnan continued: “I don’t know. Let’s see where the wind takes us. Let’s see what happens. They know where to find me. Why not?”
After the host pointed out that it’s “a very physical role” and Brosnan agreed, she suggested that his role in Mobland proves he could still handle those demands.
“That’s very kind of you to say,” Brosnan replied. “There’s great things you can do with AI as well, so there you have it. [But] I’m quite content the way it is. I love Mobland, and The Thursday Murder Club is coming out sometime this year. So there you have it, I’m quite content.”
Brosnan is set to appear alongside Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, and David Tennant in a Netflix adaptation of Richard Osman’s bestselling novel The Thursday Murder Club. When the host noted his busy schedule on top of the speculation he could return as Bond, Brosnan responded: “It’s an embarrassment of riches, Savannah.”
Mirren, who also stars in Mobland, singled out Brosnan as one of her favorite Bonds in a recent interview, saying, “I’m a huge fan of Pierce Brosnan, I mean massive fan… And indeed Daniel Craig, who I’ve met and know a little bit.”
But, she criticized the movies for being “drenched and born out of profound sexism.”
Brosnan reacted to Mirren’s comments as he told People: “Yes, there’s a certain agreement there.”
However, he continued: “But there’s a certain world and room to move within the proscenium arch of what [Bond creator and author] Ian Fleming put down. So there’s always going to be conflict.”
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Speculation continues as to who will replace Daniel Craig as the British spy in the forthcoming films. A number of actors have been rumoured to replace him in the iconic role, including Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, and the reputed favourite to replace him, Aaron-Taylor Johnson.
