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Yes, Josh Brolin's Dad Almost Replaced James Bond During a Pivotal Franchise Moment

Yes, Josh Brolin's Dad Almost Replaced James Bond During a Pivotal Franchise Moment

Yahoo13-07-2025
In 1983, moviegoers were treated to the bizarre moment in which two James Bond movies were, briefly, pitted against each other. Sean Connery returned as 007 for the unofficial non-canonical Bond outing Never Say Never Again, while Roger Moore was back as Bond in his sixth Bond film, Octopussy. But, in some alternate dimension, Moore was replaced by an American actor as Bond, James Brolin.
This 007 factoid, long-known to Bond aficionados, has recently resurfaced as James Brolin, father of actor Josh Brolin, recently gave a new interview to People, published on July 12.
"He [Roger Moore] was out, so I flew over and I met all the people. And I got my apartment and I started working with the stuntmen and Cubby Broccoli hired me."Brolin is referring to Albert "Cubby" Broccoli, longtime Bond producer and father of Barbara Broccoli, who, earlier this year, handed the keys to the Bond kingdom over to Amazon/MGM. But, back in 1982, in pre-production for Octopussy, Moore had decided to leave the role, and thus, EON (the Bond production company) had to hire a new 007.
"We hadn't signed any papers yet," Brolin explains to People. Meaning, when Moore changed his mind, the deal fell through. Had history gone another way, Brolin's Bond would have had to face Connery at the box office. Instead, starting in 1983, Brolin starred in the leading role of Peter McDermott in the popular TV series, Hotel. Had Brolin been hired, he would not have been the first American Bond. In 1954, a TV version of Casino Royale featured an American James Bond played by Barry Nelson.
Would Brolin have made a good Bond? Screen tests of him in the role have been circulating for years. You can watch one rough fight scene from his never-made version of Octopussy below, courtesy of 007 Magazine.
Yes, Josh Brolin's Dad Almost Replaced James Bond During a Pivotal Franchise Moment first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 13, 2025
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