Bond...who's Bond?

It appears that in the wake of his recent Entertainment profile, Pierce Brosnan is definitely out as 007. Of the top candidates to step into the tuxedo, I prefer Clive Owen — he's the most Flemingesque of the possible choices — but have resigned myself to the likelihood that EON, the producers of the Bond films, will choose a younger actor (Owen will turn 40 in October).

If Eric Bana is indeed the choice, he'd be a fine one. Unlike many fans, I thought Hulk was a terrific film, and Bana did a nice job in it. Hugh Jackman is a stronger screen presence, but after two films (and likely a third in the offing) as one iconic pop-culture character — Wolverine — he'd probably be better off broadening his range as he's been doing most recently on Broadway. Of the other possibilities, Ewan McGregor would make an interesting Bond (plus he's actually Scottish), as would the already-too-old-for-the-teenybop-crowd Colin Firth. Orlando Bloom? Hugh Grant? Please. Not unless you're going to turn the character into camp.

Then again, I was the guy who thought Pierce Brosnan would make a weak, prissy 007, and he's actually turned out to be excellent in the role. So what do I know?