Pierce Brosnan's Bond contract ran out in 2002

Now that Pierce Brosnan has bolted from the James Bond franchise one flick sooner than expected, filmdom's most famous name is without a face. Of course, the most bankable Bond nearly bailed once before, only to return for the last 007 flick, "Die Another Day" - which became the franchise's biggest moneymaker. So he may yet live twice.

Or he may never say never again. Word is that EON, the production company behind Bond, wants to compete for the youthful "Spider-Man" demographic as well as push Matt Damon's Jason Bourne off its turf, which means shying away from the traditional image of Bond as a suave older man to one of, for lack of a better term, spy candy.

So what's the requirement for updating yet still embodying Ian Fleming's sophisticated secret agent? For starters, he's got to wear a tux well, no matter how badly EON wants to dumb him down and tart him up. He's got to be convincingly wired - just ask Q, technology has moved beyond the old hidden-ejection-seat-in-the-Aston-Martin trick. And finally, indubitably, he's got to be able to charm the pants off the ladies, literally.

Naturally, there's a stable of young (and some not-so-young) actors who've been clamoring to replace Brosnan. Here's a look at those mentioned, and their readiness for the job.

Eric Bana

Heath Leder

Jude Law

Ewan McGregor

Clive Owen

Hugh Jackman

Eric Bana
Last Seen: "Troy"
Verdict: License to Kill

Heath Ledger
Last Seen: "The Order"
Verdict: Do you expect me to talk?

Orlando Bloom
Last Seen: "Troy"
Verdict: Dr. No

Jude Law
Last Seen: "Cold Mountain"
Verdict: Never Say Never Again

Hugh Grant
Last Seen: "Love Actually"
Verdict: Octopussy

Gerard Butler
Last Seen: "Timeline"
Verdict: You Don't Live Twice

Ewan McGregor
Last Seen: "Big Fish"
Verdict: Thunderballs

Ioan Gruffudd
Last Seen: "King Arthur"
Verdict: Try Another Day

Colin Firth
Last Seen: "Love Actually"
Verdict: On Her Majesty's Secret Service

Clive Owen
Last Seen: "King Arthur"
Verdict: Shaken, not stirred.

Hugh Jackman
Last Seen: "Van Helsing"
Verdict: The name's Bond, James Bond.

(Agencies)

bolt: to desert or withdraw support （退出，或不再支持）

flick: a movie （电影）

turf: the range of the authority or influence of a person, group, or thing （活动范围）

shy away from: （躲避，退出）

Ian Fleming: （007系列片的原著伊恩·弗莱明）

tux: 男士无尾半正式小礼服

tart: to dress up or make fancy in a tawdry, garish way （把……打扮得俗气）

wired: very stimulated or excited, as from a stimulant or a rush of adrenaline （非常刺激的，极其兴奋的）

Q: （007系列片中为邦德设计道具的人的绰号）

Aston Martin: （007的战车）

indubitably: （无疑地，确实地）