The Latest James Bond Headlines 
Brosnan's Bond Ends At Four Films
Posted on October 14, 2004 10:23 PM
Pierce Brosnan's reign as the world's favorite secret agent is over, according to a recent Sun Media article. Brosnan was quoted as saying "It's over, it's over, it's absolutely over!"
After much speculation and a virtual tug of war for the role between Bond producers and Brosnan, it seems the 50 year old Irishman is done with the series. Brosnan's legacy dates back to 1995, with his first starring role as Bond in GoldenEye. 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies, 1999's The World Is Not Enough and 2002's blockbuster Die Another Day round out the four films over his Bond career.
Brosnan's stint as Bond can be seen as the 'middle child' of the 5 actors that have portrayed the secret agent. Brosnan trails the first Bond, Sean Connery, who had 6 films under his belt before he called it quits. Roger Moore's 7 films still reigns supreme, while Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby's 2 and 1 films, respectively, trail Brosnan.
With the Brosnan firing, the interesting prospect of who will be the next James Bond actor looms over the James Bond community and the producers of the upcoming 2006 Bond 21 film. Rumored replacements include (but are certainly not limited to): Clive Owen, Hugh Jackman, Colin Farrel, among many others. MGM and EON Productions still have not officially commented on the firing, or any Bond prospects, but a response from either of the two would hopefully be expected in the coming months.
The entire Sun Article reads as follows:
By Bruce Kirkland, Sun Media
NASSAU, Bahamas -- Pierce Brosnan did not quit his most famous role as agent James Bond, he was fired. And there is no going back, the 51-year-old, Irish-born, four-time 007 says. "It's over, it's over, it's absolutely over," Brosnan says this week in Nassau, where he sits with media to promote his latest film, After the Sunset, a heist comedy which slightly parodies his role as a super-secret agent.
Brosnan says he was willing, even eager, to do a fifth and final Bond, adding that 007 producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson had asked him to return, although no contracts were signed. Brosnan's last Bond movie, Die Another Day in 2002, was the 20th official instalment in the franchise, which started with Sean Connery in Dr. No in 1962.
"They invited me back right before I went to present that film. They said: 'We're so happy with the success, we want you to come back!' I went on the road a happy man, you know. I thought we'd get a fifth and no more. That would be it, really.
"And then one day the phone rang - I was here (in Nassau shooting After the Sunset) - and my agents told me that the goal posts had moved and that they had changed their minds." Brosnan says this with a weary tone, with a sigh.
"It's very hard to find the truth in that town (Hollywood) or in this business at times," Brosnan says. "But it was their prerogative to change their minds. They can do it!" And they might have done it "to go younger," Brosnan says.
"It was disappointing. It was surprising. And I accepted the knowledge (that his run as 007 was over for good) after 24 hours of being in shock."
Brosnan has been extremely reluctant to go on the record about the Bond issue. For TV interviews in Nassau, Brosnan had publicists order TV hosts to avoid the issue. No such orders were given to print media. Then, pressed by Sun Media, Brosnan says: "To bring up Bond ... (he frowns) ... I did my time in the trenches on that movie (franchise) ..."
But offered a chance to finally put his version of the events on the record, Brosnan did. Part of the story, he says, is that he always knew the end was coming.
"If you have that thought ruminating in your head - knowing that things are going to change, knowing that you're going to get older, knowing it only lasts a certain amount of time playing a certain role - then you clearly prepare yourself for what's down the road, even though you don't know what's down the road. But you prepare yourself emotionally.
"(So) you know something's going to be finished, it's going to be over. And it comes with a great disappointment, but it also comes with a great satisfaction of having achieved the success with it that I had achieved."
Brosnan claims he harbours no bitterness. "None, none, none! It's not worth having. If I did, it would make all the great decade, the four films, the lovely success, meaningless. Bitterness against whom, and for what reason?"
But he admits there is some satisfaction in seeing the franchise stumble, with the next Bond movie postponed for at least a year. "Go figure!" Brosnan says with a wry grin.
