‘would do a magnificent job’

Pierce Brosnan has spied the next James Bond — and it’s Cillian Murphy.

Brosnan, who starred as James Bond in four movies, says that Murphy (“Oppenheimer,” “Peaky Blinders”) is the natural choice to play the dashing secret agent on the big screen.

“Cillian would do a magnificent job as James Bond on His Majesty’s Secret Service,” Brosnan said at the Oscar Wilde Awards in LA Thursday night, according to Variety.

Murphy was also at the event with his fellow Irish actor.

Murphy, who is the odds-on favorite to win Best Actor at the March 10 Academy Awards, has finished filming his next project, the historical drama “Small Things Like These,” which premiered last month at the Berlin Film Festival.

He has also expressed interest in filming a big-screen adaptation of his hit BBC gangster series “Peaky Blinders,” which streamed on Netflix.

Brosnan starred as James Bond from 1995-2002 in “Golden Eye,” “Tomorrow Never Dies,” “The World Is Not Enough” and “Die Another Day.”

The role was inherited by Daniel Craig, who’s made five Bond movies (2006-2021).

Since Craig retired from the James Bond franchise, several names to succeed him have been bandied about, including Idris Elba, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, “Bridgerton” star Regé-Jean Page and “Superman” star Henry Cavill.

Murphy stars in “Oppenheimer” as J. Robert Oppenheimer, dubbed “The Father of the Atomic Bomb.” His performance has already won him BAFTA, Golden Globe and SAG Award trophies.

According to a report in the Sun, Murphy’s turn in “Oppenheimer” has caught the attention of “James Bond” producer Barbara Broccoli, who “has been keeping a close eye on Cillian for the last year.”

“Cillian is the toast of Hollywood right now and this would be the ultimate role,” a source told the Sun. “This is a way to elevate the Bond franchise with an actor who is at the very top of his game.”

Production on the 26th James Bond movie is not expected to start until later this year.