Pierce Brosnans Double signs for New Bond Film

Eon Productions and Sony Pictures Entertainment are keeping silent on the casting of who will play secret agent James Bond in the upcoming film "Casino Royale" but recent maneuvers behind the scenes suggest 52-year old Pierce Brosnan could be set for a return for a fifth appearance as the 007 character.

It has been announced that stuntman Gary Powell has been signed for "Casino Royale". Powell is Brosnan’s longtime personal stunt double, standing in for the actor in Bond and non-Bond projects.

Because they must be able to physically pass for the performer in action sequences, rarely is the stunt double for a leading character signed prior to knowing whose distinct characteristics they must match.

Eon Productions very publicly relieved Brosnan of his James Bond duties in 2004 over what observers considered to be a financial impasse on salary and concerns by the producers over Brosnan’s age.

Since that time, however, financier and production-partner MGM Studios was acquired by Japanese owned conglomerate Sony Pictures Entertainment, adding another strong voice to casting and marketing decisions in the form of president Amy Pascal.

Brosnan has gone on record in an interview with GQ that Sony executives wish him to resume the role of James Bond for "Casino Royale", set to begin filming in January for a 2006 release. Reciprocally, Brosnan has stated he is open to returning to the role and vowed that his contract demands would not be unreasonable.

Eon Productions, as the holder of the rights to the literary property, has final say on casting and has remained quiet on if they would reconsider their position on replacing Brosnan. Should Brosnan not be signed, speculations favor England’s Daniel Craig, Henry Cavill of the Channel Islands, American Rikki Lee Travolta, Croatian Goran Visnjic, and Australian Sam Worthington.

Director Martin Campbell and writer Paul Haggis have stated a preference to reinvent the Bond character with a youthful actor able to portray a 28-year old.

However, Campbell has previously worked with Brosnan to great success in the actor’s 1995 Bond debut "Golden Eye".