It’s a rumour inflamed by Hollywood’s purported “wokeism” that the studio is reportedly trying to squash internally.
Brosnan, a former Bond, said it is a “given” that new bosses of the film series must adhere to the tradition of casting a British star, now that Amazon Studios have taken control from Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, the 71-year-old Irish actor added: “In this world that is moving so fast now, at the speed of light, [the takeover] does come with a certain lament”.
“I thought it was coming for some time I guess, but I think it was the right decision for Barbara and Michael.
“It takes great courage for them to let go. They will still have a say in matters. I hope that [Amazon] handles the work and the character with dignity and imagination and respect.”
Pierce Brosnan (right) as James Bond with Sean Bean in GoldenEye, 1995. Photo / MGM Studios
The Mamma Mia! star played the iconic spy from GoldenEye in 1995 until he bowed out of the franchise in 2002 with Die Another Day.Daniel Craig took over for Casino Royale in 2006 before leaving after No Time To Die in 2021.
Brosnan added: “History has been passed on and I’m very proud to have been part of the history and the legacy of Bond and the movies that I made with Barbara and Michael”.
“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.”
Fears that Amazon Studios would damage the reputation of the James Bond franchise through a “woke” hire for the lead role were partially alleviatedin recent days, after the Daily Mail reported that Amazon had circulated an internal letter demanding that the 007 character remains both English and male.
“There have been so many erroneous rumours about the future of Bond. Amazon is committed to keeping the spirit of Bond alive and that means he has to be British or from the Commonwealth - and he has to be male,” a source told the tabloid.
Brosnan’s comments come after it was announced that Broccoli and Wilson would be stepping back from James Bond. The franchise had been owned by the Broccoli family since 1962’s Dr. No.
The pair formed a new joint venture with Amazon to house James Bond’s intellectual property rights, with all three parties remaining co-owners of the series.
Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have handed creative control of the James Bond franchise to Amazon Studios after 30 years under their direction. Photo / Getty Images
Broccoli said in a statement: “My life has been dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy that was handed to Michael and me by our father, producer Cubby Broccoli.
“I have had the honour of working closely with four of the tremendously talented actors who have played 007 and thousands of wonderful artists within the industry.
“With the conclusion of No Time to Die and Michael retiring from the films, I feel it is time to focus on my other projects.”
After Broccoli and Wilson announced their departure, former Bond Timothy Dalton said he had been left “shocked” the producers were handing the franchise to Amazon.
He told RadioTimes.com: “I was very, very surprised and shocked”.
“Barbara is I think a fabulous woman and a wonderful producer, as was her father Cubby Broccoli, who I got on with very well and liked a lot. He was a very powerful and strong anchor for the project.
“Nothing went on that he didn’t want and it’s sad that he’s not with us anymore, that’s all I can say.”
