Pierce Brosnan has insisted that the next James Bond must be British.
It comes after reports emerged earlier this week that the character will remain male and British under the franchise’s new management by Amazon MGM Studios.
An internal memo was said to have circulated within the studio that stipulated “the spy will not change gender or nationality”, although it did state that the new Bond could come from elsewhere in the Commonwealth. Amazon have not publicly commented on the report.
Now, Brosnan who previously led four Bond films between 1995 and 2002 and preceded Daniel Craig in the iconic role, has told The Daily Telegraph it is “a given” that that the next actor to take the role should be British.
He also said that it was the right decision for producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, to hand creative control to Amazon in a multi-million-dollar deal announced last month.
Daniel Craig as James Bond. CREDIT: Greg Williams/Eon Productions via Getty Images
Brosnan added: “It takes great courage for them to let go. I hope that [Amazon] handles the work and the character with dignity and imagination and respect. History has been passed on and I’m very proud to have been part of the history and the legacy of Bond and the movies I made with Barbara and Michael.”
The 007 actor also recently expressed an interest in reprising his role as an older James Bond for a new film.
“I’ve heard of that,” Brosnan said of the idea. “Of course, how could I not be interested? But it’s a delicate situation now. I think it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie, really. I think so. It’s a rather romantic notion and idea, but I think everything changes, everything falls apart. I think that it’s best left to another man, really. Fresh blood.”
Following Amazon’s acquisition of the franchise, many fans have expressed concerns that the beloved franchise will now be “ruined” without the creative influence of Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, who have overseen the spy series for the past 60 years.
There has been no official announcement regarding the next Bond film, with the last being Daniel Craig’s farewell in 2021’s No Time To Die.
Casting for the next 007 is also currently up in the air, with the likes of Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Henry Cavill being among those frequently linked to the role.
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