Movies

Pierce Brosnan’s Lost Bond Role Was the Best Thing That Happened to His Career

BBG News

Pierce Brosnan initially missed out on the opportunity to portray James Bond in “The Living Daylights,” but this turn of events may have been beneficial for his career. Brosnan felt as though he was meant to take over the 007 role. During the filming of “For Your Eyes Only,” Brosnan’s first wife, Cassandra Harris, played a Bond girl, and it was during this time that he met James Bond franchise producer Albert Broccoli. More than a decade later, in 1995, he landed the role for “GoldenEye,” which marked the beginning of a new era for the series following a six-year hiatus.

The films featuring Pierce Brosnan as James Bond had varying levels of success, but they were crucial in keeping the franchise alive. Interestingly, some fans might recall that Brosnan was initially selected for the role of 07 in “The Living Daylights,” a position he would have taken over from Roger Moore. After a series of auditions, Brosnan secured the part. However, his casting also sparked renewed interest in his TV show “Remington Steele,” causing NBC to unexpectedly revive the canceled program. This decision ultimately led Broccoli to reconsider Brosnan as 007; he felt it would be inappropriate for him to star in both the Bond films and a television series simultaneously.

Losing Out On The Living Daylights Was Accidentally A Great Thing For Pierce Brosnan

When it comes to James Bond, good things come to those who wait

On various occasions, Brosnan has expressed his deep dismay over being let go from his coveted role. Not only did the renewal of Remington Steele cost him the opportunity to play The Living Daylights, but the series was canceled twice – first when its ratings dropped. Consequently, Brosnan found himself mostly relegated to B-movies (like Live Wire and Death Train) in the subsequent years. However, his long-awaited break eventually arrived. He outshone contenders such as Liam Neeson, Mel Gibson, and even Sharon Stone to land the role in GoldenEye, a part he would go on to play for an additional three installments.

Looking back, it turned out to be beneficial for Brosnan that he didn’t portray Bond in “The Living Daylights”. At that time in the late 1980s, he was still somewhat youthful, as evidenced by films like “Taffin”. However, when Brosnan eventually took on the MI6 agent role, the maturity and self-assuredness he had developed made a significant impact. There were doubts about whether the franchise would continue, but Brosnan’s acting in “GoldenEye” helped to dispel those worries.

In another turn of events, not playing the movie role turned out to be advantageous for Pierce Brosnan, as it spared him from the legal complications that halted Timothy Dalton’s Bond career. After Dalton’s second Bond film, “Licence to Kill” in 1989, a dispute over rights caused a pause in the series. This led to Dalton stepping down, as it was deemed necessary for a new beginning and a new James Bond actor after such a long hiatus. If Brosnan had taken on the role during this period, he too might have encountered the same fate.

Despite An Uneven Run Of Bond Movies, Pierce Brosnan Is Still One Of The Best 007s

Not even Die Another Day could tarnish Brosnan’s reputation as 007

It’s fair to say that Pierce Brosnan significantly contributed to attracting a new wave of James Bond fans, as he was the Bond for many people. Although Sean Connery or Daniel Craig often top the best lists, Brosnan made an indelible impact on the character. Generally speaking, GoldenEye is considered his finest Bond performance, while Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and particularly Die Another Day received a mix of mediocre to negative reviews.

It’s equally valid to say that Brosnan excelled as Bond amidst an uneasy period for the franchise. His movies often oscillated between intensely serious and comical moments, even within a single scene. For instance, take Die Another Day, which starts with Bond being captured and tortured in North Korea, only to end with him surfing atop a tsunami. Despite the fact that he was handed some problematic scripts, Brosnan’s charisma and wit managed to breathe life into even his less successful films.

Because of this, Brosnan is greatly respected as Bond, and it’s unfortunate that his tenure ended so unceremoniously in “Die Another Day”. It’s intriguing to note that Daniel Craig took over the role for a fresh start with “Casino Royale”, but there’s speculation that Brosnan might return to the series if Amazon takes over the James Bond creative rights, possibly for a spin-off focusing on an older Bond. Whether this is just hopeful thinking or reality remains to be seen.

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2025-05-24 17:01

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