Pierce Brosnan refuses to name a next Bond in public, and Tom Ellis says he already named one in private
Pierce Brosnan won’t anoint Daniel Craig’s successor, suggesting the franchise may look beyond the usual suspects as Thursday Murder Club costar Tom Ellis claims Brosnan already backed him.
Yet again, the James Bond guessing game drags on – and if you were holding out for Pierce Brosnan to make the call, he is having none of it. The former 007 isn’t naming names (publicly, anyway), but he does admit there’s a whole flock of worthy actors vying for Daniel Craig’s old seat at MI6. Not that the rumour mill cares. If you ask Tom Ellis – yes, the one from Thursday Murder Club and Lucifer – Pierce has already tipped his hand privately, even if the official line is tight-lipped diplomacy.
Brosnan Won’t Play Kingmaker
Brosnan spent seven years as Bond in the late 90s and early 2000s, so it’s only natural he gets asked about heirs to the tuxedo at every press gig. He told The Times he’s following the current Bond audition race but absolutely refuses to stick his neck out for any one actor. Apparently, Denis Villeneuve’s new Bond film has already seen auditions, and Brosnan reckons there’s no shortage of talent in the mix.
‘There are lots of good hats in the ring. Lots of great actors. They could probably just go left-field and pick someone that none of us know about.’
Pressed for a favourite, Brosnan offered only a touch of self-deprecation, saying he’s been cautioned at home not to let anything slip, because the smallest comment instantly gets splashed across headlines and used against him. In his own words,
‘I wouldn’t pick anyone. My wife told me not to say anything and I’ve said too much, because once I say something, it goes [everywhere] and I get hanged.’
Tom Ellis Shares a Private Vote
Of course, just because Pierce is sticking rigidly to the script in public doesn’t mean he hasn’t been chatty behind the scenes. Tom Ellis recently claimed Brosnan gave him a quiet nod, telling Metro UK that he received an unofficial, very personal endorsement on set.
Ellis didn’t pretend the odds were actually in his favour, but he relished the moment:
- Brosnan told Ellis he thought he’d make ‘a good Bond’
- Ellis’ own take? At his age, he’s probably missed the window – but he’ll still take the flattery
Beyond Ellis, the usual suspects keep bubbling up in the bookmaker scraps and gossip columns – Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Harris Dickinson, and Jack Lowden are all apparently somewhere on the list.
Brosnan played Bond from 1995 to 2002, spanning four films and handing off to Daniel Craig in 2006.
As a quick refresher, Brosnan’s era started with 1995’s GoldenEye and ran through Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day. After that, Craig took over with Casino Royale in 2006 and made his exit with No Time to Die back in 2021.