James Brolin has revealed that he very nearly played James Bond, only to lose out at the last moment when Roger Moore had a change of heart.
The actor, 85, reflected on the early 1980s, when he was tapped to take over the iconic role of 007.
At the time, Roger Moore had indicated that he was finished with the Bond franchise, and producers began seriously considering replacements.
Among those brought in was Brolin, who by then had earned acclaim for roles in Marcus Welby, M.D. and The Amityville Horror.
In a recent interview with People magazine, Brolin revealed he flew to London, met with producer Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli, began training with stuntmen, and even secured an apartment in anticipation of shooting Octopussy.
‘He was out, so I flew over and I met all the people,’ Brolin recalled to the publication.
‘And I got my apartment and I started working with the stuntmen and Cubby Broccoli hired me.’
He continued: ‘We hadn’t signed any papers yet. I got back to L.A. to get my stuff because I was going to be gone for a year. And I got a call saying Roger decided to do one more, and I was out.’
Moore ultimately returned for Octopussy, released in 1983, and again for A View to a Kill in 1985.
Brolin, meanwhile, continued a steady and diverse acting career, eventually earning an Emmy and Golden Globe for his television work and becoming a respected character actor.
He also turned down the role of Superman, citing a lack of interest in playing idealised leading men. ‘To be a leading man and just looking your best and saying the words perfect, it’s not interesting at all to me,’ he told People.
Brolin’s revelation comes as fans continue to speculate over who will play 007 in a new Bond film that’s expected by the end of 2027. Daniel Craig stepped down in 2021, leaving the role open for a newcomer.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson has long been heavily rumoured to be the next James Bond, from as far back as 2022 – although reports of his official casting were denied in March 2024.
Former favourite Idris Elba, 52, previously ruled himself out from playing the British spy, while other hotly tipped actors, including James Norton and Theo James, have remained coy.
Recently, Amazon MGM Studios has announced that Denis Villeneuve will helm the next James Bond film, increasing anticipation.
The Canadian director, best known for directing Dune and Dune: Part Two, as well as Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, Sicario, and Prisoners, expressed reverence for the character.
‘Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007,’ he said in a statement released Wednesday.
He called the opportunity ‘a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honour.’
The announcement comes during a period of major upheaval behind the scenes of the Bond universe.
Amazon Studios officially purchased MGM for $8.45billion (£6.7billion) in 2022, with a new agreement over creative control meaning Bond — and whoever is next to play 007 – is entirely under the streamer’s control.
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