Pierce Brosnan hints at James Bond Return at 72

As anticipation builds for Bond 26, former 007 star Pierce Brosnan has suggested he may not be entirely done with the franchise. Brosnan, who played James Bond from 1995 to 2002, spoke to GQ about the series' future under Amazon MGM Studios, leaving the door slightly ajar for a potential comeback.

“People ask about Bond—‘would you?’—but that’s another man’s job,” the 72-year-old actor said. “Still, the possibilities of working within that world… it’s exciting to see what happens. Everything changes, everything falls apart, so you sit back and enjoy it.”

When asked if he might consider returning as a retired agent rather than the iconic superspy, Brosnan offered a teasing response: “Sometimes you entertain it and sometimes you just move on.” His comments suggest he remains open-minded about involvement in Bond 26.

Brosnan previously told Radio Times in August that he would be tempted to return if acclaimed director Denis Villeneuve were involved. “My wife Keely and I have been listening to the drumbeat over who’s going to be the next Bond,” he said. “There are many great candidates. I don’t think anyone wants to see a craggy 72-year-old Bond, but if Villeneuve had something up his sleeve, I’d look at it in a heartbeat. It could be great entertainment—lots of laughs. Bald caps, prosthetics… who knows?”

A Defining Era as 007

Brosnan took over the role from Timothy Dalton, debuting in GoldenEye (1995) and going on to star in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999), and Die Another Day (2002). His seven-year tenure is often credited with reviving the franchise, pairing him with stars such as Judi Dench, Michelle Yeoh, Sean Bean, Teri Hatcher, and Halle Berry.

He had expected to film a fifth Bond movie before producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli opted to take the character in a new direction. Brosnan was informed in 2004 that his time as 007 had come to an end—a revelation he once described as “utterly shocking.”

Despite the abrupt exit, Brosnan holds no ill feelings. Speaking to The Guardian in 2020, he said he had “no regrets” about his Bond years. “Bond is the gift that keeps giving,” he reflected. “Once you’re branded as Bond, it stays with you forever—so you make peace with it.”