James Brolin Reveals Near Casting as James Bond in 1983 Octopussy

James Brolin revealed that he nearly played James Bond in the 1983 film Octopussy after Roger Moore initially decided to leave the franchise. Brolin recounted how he was hired by producer Albert 'Cubby' Broccoli, began training with stuntmen, and secured an apartment in London, only to be replaced last minute when Moore changed his mind and returned for the role. At the time, Brolin was seeking his next major role following his success in The Amityville Horror and had also turned down the role of Superman, preferring character acting over traditional leading man parts. He expressed a preference for complex roles such as playing Ronald Reagan and Clark Gable, finding the typical leading man roles uninteresting despite often being cast in them. Currently focused on directing, Brolin values diverse storytelling and continues to work on varied projects without limiting himself to a single genre. His reflections come amid ongoing speculation about the next actor to portray James Bond following Daniel Craig's departure in 2021.