Following Amazon MGM's takeover of the James Bond franchise from long-time producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, speculations rose with regard to the next choice of actor to play the famous Ian Fleming creation after Daniel Craig bade goodbye to the role with No Time to Die.
The same goes for the choice of director, with multiple names thrown around, with Christopher Nolan as a likely candidate mentioned in unconfirmed reports. The filmmaker had previously expressed a desire to direct a Bond film.
The takeover also drew much flak from various corners of social media given Amazon's past attempts at milking other franchises like The Lord of the Rings through the development of newer properties like Rings of Power.
It was also rumoured that the character may not be British or male. However, that doesn't seem to be the case since a leaked memo from Amazon suggests that the company intends to not deviate from the norm.
Former Bond Pierce Brosnan, too, has voiced his thoughts on the franchise, saying that the character should be British. In an interview with The Telegraph, the actor reflected on the takeover with a certain measure of "lament" and admired the "great courage" of Wilson and Broccoli while remarking that they did the right thing.
Brosnan recalled his Bond days with pride, expressing gratitude for being part of the "legacy of Bond" and the movies he made with the producers that revived the franchise in the 1990s after a brief slump. “That we moved the needle, that we brought it back to life. It had been dormant [for] six years, and GoldenEye was such a success that it continued and went from strength to strength…You know, everything changes, everything falls apart, and I wish them well.”
Brosnan hopes that Amazon treats the character "with dignity and imagination and respect.”
Meanwhile, Brosnan will be next seen in Guy Ritchie's gangster series MobLand, which will stream on JioHotstar from March 31. Brosnan's co-stars include Tom Hardy and Helen Mirren.
