Redditors share plausible hypotheses about Pierce Brosnan's comeback in the final Bond film, titled 'The Last Directive'

007: The Last Directive is rumored to be the final James Bond film centered on the return of Pierce Brosnan as the legendary British spy. The project is envisioned as a reflective, high-stakes finale, bringing Bond out of retirement to go on one final mission.

Online speculation has taken hold after u/pathofneo111 made a post on the James Bond community on Reddit after reports of a possible new installment titled 007: The Last Directive.

Although not yet officially acknowledged by MGM or Eon Productions, the movie is speculated to be the final act for Pierce Brosnan, who famously played the British spy in four films between 1995 and 2002.

The fans who have followed the franchise since its inception have circled to the notion that Pierce Brosnan never truly received the proper sendoff his version of Bond deserved. His last appearance in Die Another Day (2002), which was followed directly by a gritty reboot in Casino Royale, was seen by some as unfinished.

Reacting to the post, u/KirbbDogg213 commented:

“Pierce never got his real farewell bond movie because they jumped. on casino royale. It would be interesting if Pierce came back and did the bond movie that never say never was supposed to be. And give him his long overdue swan song.”

This collective feeling has developed into a series of optimistic speculations on what a comeback might take the form of, most notably, a reflective, late-career Bond story in the spirit of Never Say Never Again or even Logan.

Another unconventional line of thought involved the recent acquisition of MGM by Amazon and how that can lead to new opportunities in storytelling. One of the users, u/vertigounconscious, proposed the idea of having a world where all the former Bonds, Connery, Moore, Pierce Brosnan could be re-evaluated not as the same man, but as different agents occupying the same moniker.

Among the more cinematic of Bond-related ideas by fans is an interpretation suggested by u/recapmcghee: the retirement of Bond into quiet solitude in the Adirondack mountains, until he comes across suspicious and perhaps evil goings-on at a remote lodge called Dreamy Pines.

"I am loathe to trust Amazon with this franchise but by god I suppose if I am going to get anything out of the vacuous exploitation I am going to will into existence an adaptation of The Spy Who Loved Me where Bond is retired and traveling the Adirondacks when he comes across the goings-on at the Dreamy Pines," they wrote.

Although the Redditor admitted that they were uncertain whether Amazon could recapture the spirit of the franchise, they posted their concept enthusiastically.

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Pierce Brosnan’s rumored return and MGM Studios' involvement divide the fanbase

With claims of 007: The Last Directive being a final bow to Pierce Brosnan as James Bond, old-school Bond enthusiasts are reacting with anticipation, trepidation, and optimism.

With Amazon MGM Studios now at the helm, with visionary director Denis Villeneuve recently confirmed for the upcoming Bond film, there is speculation that a potential Brosnan comeback would trade on more realistic, character-based storylines.

Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's "The Out-Laws" - Arrivals (Image via Getty)

As reported by The Standard, the news of Amazon taking up the creative control of the James Bond franchise has brought a lot of concern among fans of the series.

Over the decades, the franchise was carefully handled by Broccoli descendants and long-term producer Michael G. Wilson, maintaining the theatrical heritage and focus on character and plot. With Amazon at the helm, there is a possibility that 007 could be headed towards more mass-produced content, instead of a carefully crafted thriller.