Talking to EW’s Joshua Rich in this week’s issue, Pierce Brosnan (left) is still expressing surprise, a year after the fact, that the James Bond producers fired him from the franchise over the phone. ”After that kind of titanic jolt to the system, there was a great sense of calm,” says Brosnan, whose thriller Matador is due in November. ”I thought, F— it! I can do anything I want to do now. I’m not beholden to them or anyone. I’m not shackled by some contracted image. So there was a sense of liberation.”
Yeah, okay, we get it, Pierce, you’re never going to say ”Bond, James Bond” anymore. But I suppose he has to keep issuing these denials that he’ll return to star in Casino Royale, at least until the Bond producers actually hire a replacement. We keep hearing the same names as potential replacements (Clive Owen, Jude Law, Hugh Jackman, Daniel Craig), but as long as they’re making a change, maybe the Bond filmmakers should really shake up the franchise with someone completely unlike Brosnan or his predecessors. The Goran Visnjic rumor is intriguing, but why not go further afield and give Samuel L. Jackson the license to kill? Or Rupert Everett (but only if he gets to play 007 as gay)? Or Keira Knightley? Post your suggestions for the performer most likely to zap new life into the franchise; the more offbeat, the better.
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So, Rupert can only play it if he plays it gay? Sad man, very sad. I expect better from EW.
Give it up EW I’m tired of hearing your poor suggestions for the next Bond. Seriously it looks like you took the article “Kill Bond Now!” (Issue #516) from back in 1999 and just dusted it off a little. The Bond rumor merry-go-round has been spinning for several years now and this article adds absolutely nothing to it.
I like the idea of twisting 007 a little. The producers are too hide-bound to do anything outrageous, but it would be fun to have a gay 007 or a female 007. After having Pierce Brosnan, who I consider to be the best 007 so far, any other middle-aged British womanizer is going to seem like a retread. Hopefully, the producers will do something interesting to set the next 007 apart from what is rapidly becoming a crowd of predecessors.
PS: I’m gay, and although I don’t necessarily think Rupert could ONLY play 007 as gay, not going that route would be a missed opportunity.
here’s my top 5 list for guys and gals, I think should appear in the next 007.
1. The cast of Harry Potter, with Radcliffe in the lead role.
2. Mathew McFayden – you will see him this year in Pride and Prejudice, you will love. Race over.
3. Cate Blanchett
4. James Marsters – aka – Spike of Buffy/Angel… however, he must play him as an undead james bond.
5. Queen Latifah! Seriously, why not… okay… okay… this is not the best idea, but still.
MATTHEW MACFADYEN:
I’ve said for a long time now that Matt MacFadyen, best known as MI-5 agent Tom Quinn on the BBC series Spooks (called MI-5 in the USA) would be a great choice for a new James Bond. He’s proven he can play a spy, plus he was born in ‘74, so he’s young enough to do quite a few movies. I think his next major acting is as Mr. Darcy in the film version of Pride and Prejudice. Plus why don’t they let Quentin Terrantino direct? Matt with Quentin directing would be cool!
Will Smith would bring a younger crowd back to 007 – he plays most his roles very well, and can pull of the wit necessary to play the suave James Bond.
CLIVE OWEN…..that smoldering sexiness of his would be PERFECT for bond. I never was crazy about the franchise, but if he is the next Bond…I AM THERE!
I’d love to see Ewan McGreggor in the role. I think he has shown an ability to play just about anything, whether it be action, comedy, or drama. My other suggestion would be that they should no longer try to find a franchise Bond player. Just change the casting every movie and let someone new give their take on the role. Would be way better.
Gilbert Gottfried.
Some choices from a very loyal fan:
Australian Eric Bana
Welshman Ioan Gruffudd
Kiwi Karl Urban
Australian David Wenham
Scotsman Ewan McGregor (but he’s kind of already too big of a name)
I’ve been watching James Bond since I was a teenager…lusting after the hot women. After several awful versions featuring Roger Moore and the other guy? Pierce Brosnan brought some class to it…I think a good new James Bond would be Jason Statham of Transporter, Italian Job..darken his hair a little…he’d be a killer. Clive Owen would be OK, but he’s a little too well known
The next James Bond has already arrived and his name is Austin Powers, gentlemen.
two words… Carol Channing.
Clive Owen is way too popular now! Let it go.. Although Gilbert Godfried is intriguing…
5) goran visnjic (is that a real rumour?? I’m so in!)
4) jeremy northam
3) gerard butler (not for me, but definitely for some of the ladies)
2) jason bateman (ok, not a real suggestion, I just think he’s hot!!!!)
1) dougray scott — purrrrrrfect
Jet Li.
Michael Vartan. Proven spy, top experience. Can do British accent if required. Maybe a French Bond?
Seriously, is a very sexy guy, excellent actor, great at both action and love scenes, and has a huge following already. And, unfortunately for Alias fans, may be available.
Janet
Face it, Pierce was the best Bond since Connery and brought the franchise back from the dead. Each of his Bond films have made more money than the last, and the Brocolis fire him??? Are they stupid??? They will not find a replacement as smooth or suave as Brosnan and the franchise will suffer as a result. PLEASE give us one more Bond with Brosnan in the lead and pay him the respect that he deserves. And I would bet, that if the film was marketed as the final Brosnan Bond, it would make even more money than Die Another Day!
I want a Bond with less action, more sex, so let’s have someone ultra sexy, I say Clive Owen would be good, but Gerard Butler would be the absolute best. The guy proved he could even make girls swoon behind a mask and a scarred face in The Phantom of the Opera. Gerry!
I have to admit, at first I didn’t care for Pierce’s Bond at all, but I grew to like him and thought DIE ANOTHER DAY was the strongest Bond film to come down the pike in a very, very long time. I think they are making a mistake not going with him again, the last film did very well in the BO and Pierce isn’t too old that he couldn’t play the part for at least one or two more films. I also think they should take a chance in the director’s chair – bring someone in like Tarantino, someone who has proven they are a very good director, with name recognition and the ability to be very creative while at the same time paying homage to what made the franchise great in the first place (I think Pierce lobbied for some time to get better directors in place).
One more thing – I think Ewan McGreggor would be great, I also think Rupert could be a strong Bond and wouldn’t have to be gay in my books to pull it off (although it would be an interesting twist).
Offbeat? Gary Coleman is thy name.
JASON STATHAM
GARY OLDMAN
Bond, Jane Bond…Kate Beckinsale
Clive Owen is the only suitable successor. He was born to play the role. He would be the best since Connery. I can only hope that. if they select him, they give him material worthy of restoring Bond to his glory days. (Though Die Another Day was not bad)
Samuel Jackson….I think we need a Bond, not another Shaft, but if you want to be stupid and get away from the Bond persona that has been super successful for 30 years, why not let it be Pee Wee Herman?
Hillary Clinton would love to be Bond!
Harvey Feirstein, from Tevye to Bond. I’m a little verklempt.
Being a die hard Connery fan this is hard for me – but how about Colin Farrell?
James Purefoy’s name was kicked around for a while. He’d make a good Bond.
two words: GERARD BUTLER!!!! YUM! (ok that was three..)