Months ago, Jeff Bezos and Amazon bought out Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson’s creative control over the James Bond franchise. The Broccoli family had been the decades-long stewards, protectors and gatekeepers to the Bond franchise, and their creative control was unchanged even when Amazon bought MGM and all of their properties. Barbara Broccoli made the “mistake” of publicly bad-mouthing the “f–king idiots” at Amazon, and within a few months, Bezos spent $1 billion to secure complete creative control of all things 007.
Given how much money was spent to wrest control of the property, I truly expected more movement right away. I thought we would be in for a blitz of announcements: TV spinoffs, a new Bond film on the docket, a stand-alone Felix Leiter project? But nothing is happening but vague casting rumors and some betting-market theories. While the betting markets in the UK think Theo James will be cast as the new Bond, an old Bond has some other ideas about who should get cast instead.
Former 007 Pierce Brosnan stirred up some thoughts about who might be a good choice to play James Bond following the latest franchise shake-up.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is the latest actor whose name has fueled speculation about Bond casting, and Brosnan told Yahoo Entertainment he doesn’t think the 34-year-old would be just good, “I think he would be very good.”
The GoldenEye actor previously worked with Taylor-Johnson in 2009 on a film that Brosnan executive produced.
“I cast him in one of the movies I made a long time ago called The Greatest, actually,” he said about the family drama that also starred Carey Mulligan and Susan Sarandon, “and he played ‘the Greatest.’”
“This young man came on the set,” Brosnan continued, “and took the space, filled the space with passion and energy. So yeah, I think if he wished it, wanted it and got it, he would be great.”
Regarding the overall partnership between Amazon MGM Studios, which took control of the franchise in February alongside original stewards Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, Brosnan said he “wish[es] them all well.”
I honestly think Pierce’s endorsement of Aaron Taylor Johnson would mean a lot in the old Broccoli-family era. Like, this would have carried a lot of weight with Barbara Broccoli especially. But I can’t help but think that Pierce is looking at it the wrong way. Everything is going to be different now that the Amazon bros are in charge. They’re going to find the most personality-free buff, bland British man and march him through a boring, characterless story. Besides, I just don’t think Aaron would make a good Bond. Aaron is (at times) a good actor, but I don’t think he could pull off Bond whatsoever.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 10: Aaron Taylor-Johnson at the World Premiere of Kraven The Hunter at AMC Lincoln Square in New York City on December 10, 2024. Copyright: xMediaPunchx,Image: 945366422, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/MediaPunch/Avalon/Avalon
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- NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 10: Aaron Taylor-Johnson at the World Premiere of Kraven The Hunter at AMC Lincoln Square in New York City on December 10, 2024. Copyright: xMediaPunchx,Image: 945366483, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/MediaPunch/Avalon/Avalon
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- RECORD DATE NOT STATED LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 12: Aaron Taylor-Johnson at LA premier of Nosferatu at TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, California on December 12, 2024. Copyright: xFayexSadoux,Image: 946147695, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Faye Sadou/Avalon
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- LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 12: Aaron Taylor-Johnson at the LA premiere of Nosferatu at TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, California on December 12, 2024. Copyright: xFayexSadoux,Image: 946267920, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Faye Sadou/Avalon
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- Pierce Brosnan attends “MobLand” Global Premiere at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London, England. UK. Thursday 27th March 2025.,Image: 980562430, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NORESTRICTIONS, Model Release: no, Pictured: MobLand – Global Premiere, Credit line: James Warren/Bang Showbiz/Avalon
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- New York, NY – The highly anticipated Broadway debut of ‘Good Night, and Good Luck’ took center stage at the Winter Garden Theatre. Pictured: Keely Shaye Smith, Pierce Brosnan BACKGRID USA 3 APRIL 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- US-Ireland Alliance’s 18th annual Oscar Wilde Awards at Bad Robot Featuring: Pierce Brosnan Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 07 Mar 2024 Credit: Charlie Steffans/INSTARimages
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- World Premiere of “Back To Black” at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square Featuring: Sam Taylor-Johnson and Aaron Taylor-Johnson Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 Apr 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Theo James!
There are two episodes of Downton Abbey I remember the episode with Theo and the last episode Dan Stevens was in.
100% Theo would make a great James Bond. And he is the right age 37.
It’s hard to look at a man that you know was groomed in his teens and think “womanizing sex symbol.” I like ATJ well enough, but his creepy wife situation never leaves my mind enough to completely focus on his work.
Good god this man is so thirsty and desperate to be the next James Bond. The grooming (I know that’s not his fault) and the blue steel posing is super unappealing
I agree – the inabaility to pose and give good face seems disqualifying to me. He does not seem to have that inner swagger that is so, so necessary to the Boond character. You don’t have to be super hot, but you do have to think that you are 🙂
Bezos is a real life Bond villian at this point. Does Bezos have the incel fanboy interest to make even those losers interested? This was his version of Disney purchasing the Star Wars franchise and way overpaying. His ego got twisted in a bunch because he was insulted by Barbara Broccoli and he way overpaid for a stale franchise way past its prime. The content can’t be made cheap enough to make it profitable (same as Star Wars) at the price he paid. No one too interesting will be cast. So. Stale straight white British man without a messy private life. ATJ has too much baggage from his personal life and Bezos wouldn’t allow that to overshadow the franchise he overpaid.
I don’t see it.
Has everyone forgot Pierce and a Broccoli or mgm bitter back and forth? Someone called his bluff and that’s why Pierce didn’t get a 4th film.
I wouldn’t trust Pierce on future castings. He can tell you if you messed up casting.
Idris Elba!!!! He has the swag, the acting chops, the kickass accent, AND he’s nice to look at. He’s perfect.
I’d say yes to it, but I’ll never forgive or forget that the debonair and hot Idris Elba was overlooked for so long he aged out of the part. I’m actually bitter over it. I never thought the blondie was handsome enough for the role.
Yep, he would have been perfect. And Clive Owen would have been excellent, too…
Ugh, not this guy! He was the worst Vronsky-in-Anna-Karenina ever. That role is cake for any good actor, but he was undashing, petulant, and boring.
Aaron is handsome but weirdly dead-eyed. Theo James has more charisma, IMO.