Pierce Brosnan has thrown his backing behind one of the many actors currently in the running to land the role of James Bond.
The part has been vacant and rumours have been rife as to who will play the next Bond ever since Daniel Craig announced his departure in 2019.
Brosnan knows all too well what it takes to slip into the iconic spy’s tuxedo having played Ian Fleming’s creation from 1995 to 2004.
His CV boasts GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough and Die Another Day among his other acting credits.
But with Craig now bowing out of the franchise following 2021’s No Time to Die, the race to replace him is wide open.
One man who has long been tipped to take on the role is Oppenheimer front-man Cillian Murphy – and Brosnan is certain he’d be a good choice to take over the mantle from Craig.
Next James Bond: Cillian Murphy has been publicly endorsed by a former 007 star
GETTY
Speaking at the annual Oscar Wilde Awards in Los Angeles, Brosnan was full of confidence in Murphy.
He told the BBC: “Cillian would do a magnificent job as James Bond on His Majesty’s Secret Service.”
Rumours of Murphy potentially bagging the role have been heightened during this year’s awards season – he’s already bagged a Golden Globe and is tipped for Oscars glory for his role in Oppenheimer.
And one source has even told The Sun that Murphy is now the frontrunner with Bond bosses to bag the part.
They told the publication: “Cillian is the toast of Hollywood right now and this would be the ultimate role.
“This is a way to elevate the Bond franchise with an actor who is at the very top of his game.”
However, Murphy isn’t too sure he’d be right for the role, telling the BBC he hadn’t heard the rumours and adding to Hello! he thinks he’s “a bit too old for that”.
According to the latest odds from bookmakers, Murphy remains an outsider for the role, with William Hill recently announcing it’s a star from Netflix drama One Day who has made the most notable movement in the running.
Next James Bond: Pierce Brosnan has tipped Cillian Murphy to replace Daniel Craig
GETTY
Leo Woodall has surged in the market to play Bond next and is currently priced at 16/1 to land the gig.
Murphy is currently a 10/1 outsider with the frontrunners consisting of Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Henry Cavill and Damson Idris.
Kick Ass star Taylor-Johnson currently leads the pack with odds of 13/8 closely followed by Superman’s Cavill at 5/2.
Meanwhile, Snowfall actor Idris is third-favourite at 7/2 to be Barbara Broccoli’s next choice for Bond.*
*All odds accurate at the time of publication.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
