Pierce Brosnan is open to coming back to the James Bond franchise, but as a villain instead of the iconic MI6 agent. Brosnan played Bond in four movies beginning with 1995's Goldeneye and certainly has a big place in the history of the long-running series. But the idea of him returning to the franchise, in a completely different capacity, as a foe to a new actor's Bond, would undoubtedly be wandering into uncharted territory.

Recently, the 66-year-old actor participated in a live watch party for Goldeneye. During the event, he answered a few fan questions. At one point, Pierce Brosnan was asked if he would return as a villain in a future Bond movie. Here's what Brosnan had to say about it.

"Would I return as a villain? If asked, yes! I believe so."

For the most part, Pierce Brosnan has talked about his time as Bond with a great deal of affection, and during the watch party he attributed the sustained success in his career to the role. So it's not too surprising that he would consider returning, albeit in a very different capacity. The big question is, could something like this truly work within the scope of James Bond? That is a far more difficult question to answer, as it would be unprecedented.

Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Daniel Craig and Pierce Brosnan have all played James Bond, but none of them have returned for another major role during another actor's tenure. There were alleged discussions for Sean Connery to return in Skyfall as the keeper of Bond's family home, but that didn't come to pass. Not that Bond is averse to tongue-in-cheek moments, but would it be too distracting to have someone so synonymously associated with the role portraying a villain? It's hard to say. Though, on the surface, getting to see a different side of Brosnan in that universe could be intriguing.

When Goldeneye was released in 1995, it had been six years since Bond had graced the screen in Timothy Dalton's final entry, License to Kill. The franchise had rarely faced such pressure to deliver, but Pierce Brosnan's debut proved to be a huge hit, both critically and commercially. That paved the way for three more Brosnan-led entries, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough and Die Another Day. Collectively, they grossed more than $1.4 billion at the global box office. For a time, Quentin Tarantino considered directing a Pierce Brosnan James Bond movie, but that never came to pass.

Daniel Craig then picked up the torch with 2006's Casino Royale. Craig is set to end his run with No Time to Die, which is set to arrive later this year. At that point, it will once again be time for a new actor to take up the 007 mantle. That means it will be time for a new villain as well. Maybe, just maybe, that villain should/could be played by Pierce Brosnan. Feel free to check out the full Goldeneye commentary for yourself. This news comes to us via Esquire.