Piece Brosnan loses his license to kill

Pierce Brosnan says he feels a sense of liberation now that he's lost his license to kill and will no longer be playing James Bond.

Brosnan plays a foulmouthed, skirt-chasing hit man in the upcoming film The Matador.

Brosnan told Entertainment Weekly magazine that at first his departure from the role was a "titanic jolt to the system," but then he felt "a great sense of calm."

"I thought. ... I can do anything I want to do now. I'm not beholden to them or anyone. I'm not shackled by some contracted image. So there was a sense of liberation."

Brosnan starred in four Bond films. He said that before they stopped negotiations, the producers had invited him back for a fifth time, reports ITN.

Brosnan said he's grateful to have had the role, but added: "It never felt real to me. I never felt I had complete ownership over Bond. Because you'd have these stupid one-liners - which I loathed - and I always felt phoney doing them."

Brosnan starred in four James Bond movies. The first was "GoldenEye," followed by "Tomorrow Never Dies," "The World Is Not Enough" and "Die Another Day," informs the AP.