Pierce Brosnan rules out Bond return as search for next 007 continues

Pierce Brosnan will not play James Bond again.

He says he has no desire to return to the role and now counts himself as part of the audience, waiting to see who takes the tuxedo next and wishing that actor well, according to Deadline.

The former 007 would not name a successor. He said there are plenty of strong contenders in the mix, with lots of good hats in the ring, but picking a name is not his job. Producers could also go left-field, he suggested, and choose someone the public does not yet know. By left-field he meant an unexpected pick rather than a familiar face.

That hands-off stance still left room for one personal exchange. Actor Tom Ellis said Brosnan told him he would make a good Bond. Ellis said he told Brosnan in reply that he felt he was probably too old now for the part, according to Deadline.

Brosnan led the series for four films across seven years. He first played Bond in 1995's GoldenEye, directed by Martin Campbell. He returned for Tomorrow Never Dies in 1997, The World Is Not Enough in 1999 and Die Another Day in 2002.

Daniel Craig followed him in the role. Craig started with 2006's Casino Royale and finished his run with 2021's No Time to Die. His tenure closed the most recent chapter of the long-running spy series before the current search began.

That search is now under way. Auditions for a new Bond film directed by Denis Villeneuve were organised over summer 2026. Nina Gold, the casting director who leads the hunt for actors, has closed a deal to cast the film, according to Deadline.

A six-actor shortlist is reported to be under consideration, according to ScreenRant. That means a small group of names discussed inside the production. No choice has been confirmed by the producers, and no official announcement has set a date for a reveal.

Brosnan has praised other candidates in the past. In 2015 he said Idris Elba would make a good Bond, according to The Guardian.

For fans, this means the guessing game keeps running. One former Bond has stepped back for good. Another former co-star has talked himself out of the race. The next man in the tuxedo has not been named.