Pierce Brosnan Once Had a Negative Experience Trying to Watch Daniel Craig’s James Bond Films
James Bond was taken in a new direction after Daniel Craig inherited the mantle. And although Pierce Brosnan was curious to see Craig’s take on the character, he once felt it was dangerous to go near the movies.
Why Pierce Brosnan couldn’t watch Daniel Craig’s James Bond movies
Brosnan has been very candid about his unceremonious departure from the Bond series. If it was up to him, he might’ve starred in a couple more 007 films. But the producers at the time aimed to steer Bond in a newer, grittier direction with a fresh actor. Brosnan also once revealed there were serious talks of him doing a fifth Bond film. So, this made the sudden change even more shocking to him.
“It’s totally changed since Daniel Craig is playing it. They wanted to modernise Bond. I didn’t stop voluntarily,” he once told Kurier (via Contact Music). “We talked about a fifth movie and then came the call that I am out. Total change of direction. That was very hard.”
Despite the grudge he might’ve had for the Bond producers, he was willing to check out Daniel Craig’s interpretation of the character. But when Brosnan initially tried watching Daniel Craig’s movies, he experienced a couple of setbacks. He quipped that this convinced him he just wasn’t mean to see Craig’s Bond films.
“I haven’t seen Daniel in the role. I tried watching it on an airplane. I thought 37,000 feet was a good distance to watch it from and it broke down right at the beginning,” Brosnan said. “The attendant came and changed it and it broke down a second time, so I figured, ‘OK. The Gods must be saying something…’ So I never went near it!”
Pierce Brosnan wasn’t a fan of Daniel Craig’s last James Bond movie
Brosnan would eventually get to see Craig in action as the new 007. He had nothing but praise for his successor’s portrayal.
“I have the greatest admiration for Daniel Craig and what he did. The physicality he brought to the performance was monumental,” Brosnan once told GQ.
He even revealed that he enjoyed a couple of Craig’s movies. The one Bond movie that Brosnan didn’t enjoy, however, was No Time to Die.
“I saw the last one and I saw Skyfall. I love Skyfall. I’m not too sure about the last one,” Brosnan said in a separate GQ interview.
No Time to Die was a grand farewell to Craig as the MI6 agent. His departure gives way for another actor to bring James Bond to life. But when asked who he thought should be the next Bond, Brosnan didn’t mince words.
“Who should do it [next]? I don’t care,” he said.
Pierce Brosnan didn’t think he was ever good enough as James Bond
Brosnan is still heralded by some as one of the best actors to play James Bond. But Brosnan himself happens to be his own worst critic in that regard.
“I felt I was caught in a time warp between Roger and Sean,” Brosnan told The Telegraph in a 2014 interview. “It was a very hard one to grasp the meaning of, for me. The violence was never real, the brute force of the man was never palpable. It was quite tame, and the characterisation didn’t have a follow-through of reality, it was surface. But then that might have had to do with my own insecurities in playing him as well.”
Because of the nature of his Bond films, Brosnan felt his 007 never realized its full potential like other Bonds may have.
“I have no desire to watch myself as James Bond. ‘Cause it’s just never good enough,” Brosnan said “It’s a horrible feeling.”
