Pierce Brosnan is known for playing one of the most iconic characters of all time, James Bond. He may have just been the perfect man for role, as he's handsome, charming and well-dressed. The air of mystery he naturally exuded also made him a great fit for the part. More recently, though, Brosnan is now being fancast for the role of Albus Dumbledore ahead of Max's Harry Potter series. Apparently, that's something Brosnan himself has thought about, and it's actually become something of a joke.
The now-71-year-old actor opened up to The Telegraph about the idea of playing the iconic wizard character in the upcoming series. Fans started pushing the idea on Reddit when a number of dapper photos from a fashion campaign for Kith and Giorgio Armani were released. The photos in question show Brosnan with snowy gray hair and a beard while wearing clothes that are well tailored and styled for an academia atmosphere. Brosnan was enthusiastic when sharing his take on taking over the iconic role:
I’ve always had my eyes on Dumbledore as my hair has gotten greyer and the maturity of life is now upon my visage and shoulders.
I can totally see it. This Dumbledore would definitely be a departure from the whimsy portrayals by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon, and I don't mean that negatively. Brosnan would bring a more serious, intimidating tone to the character, instead of the gentler version we see in the original movies. A more grizzled and somewhat hardened Dumbledore would certainly make for a fresh approach to the beloved character.
Aside from the general idea of Pierce Brosnan donning the Elder Wand, what I really love that this has become a running joke amongst the actor's family. While he no longer resembles the 007 archetype, his look and image opens up new doors for new kinds of characters. Ironically, the Brosnans have been calling this his “Dumbledore years":
It’s a joke with my family, the Dumbledore thing – that I’ll go into my Dumbledore years. I don’t want to go there … particularly right now, but if I was asked [to play the part] I probably would say yes.
I think it’s awesome that Brosnan would be open to the Dumbledore thing, or at least a role like it. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that he'll get the chance, as John Lithgow has already been cast in the part. Similarly, Lithgow had a revenant reaction to the casting, and he's called Dumbledore the “last big” part he will likely play in his career. While some who were rooting for Brosnan might feel disappointed, fans have still been supportive of Lithgow, who admittedly more accurately matches the description of Dumbledore in the books.
Even though Brosnan won't be able to play the powerful Wizarding World character as he enters his “Dumbledore years,” I’m still excited to see what he does next. Also, there are still plenty of roles in the franchise that could be suited for Brosnan like Mr. Ollivander, Professor Slughorn or even one of the Ministers of Magic. There are plenty of possibilities, and I'll be keeping my fingers crossed the Brosnan lands a role.
Max's Harry Potter series is still in the casting/ pre-production stage and is set to debut sometime in late 2026 or early 2027. In the meantime, Potter fans can revisit the original movies now with a Max subscription.
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