Triple Bonded

The new James Bond extravaganza, ''The World Is Not Enough'' (due Nov. 19), may be enough superspy high jinks for Pierce Brosnan, at least for a while. ''It's been a very hectic four, five years since doing 'Golden Eye,' and I want to give it some space between doing this Bond movie and the next one,'' Brosnan tells EW Online. ''At the end of the year I'm planning to sit back and take stock of things.''

But, with Brosnan having completed his three-picture Bond deal with ''World,'' rumors are flying that the 46-year-old actor is walking away from the franchise out of fear he will be typecast if he continues the role past the big 5-0. Brosnan shrugs off the speculation. ''I don't think my investigation of the role is over yet,'' he says. ''I love playing James Bond, and for me it's just gotten sweeter and better. And it's certainly turned my life around.''

Brosnan, whose life now includes his own production company, claims his recent roles as a wealthy businessman in ''The Thomas Crown Affair'' (opening Friday) and as a trapper falsely claiming American-Indian heritage in ''Grey Owl'' (opening in Canada Oct. 1) have only served to improve his Bond abilities. ''I came off those roles with a certain amount of confidence and strength, so I think it could be good for the movie,'' he says.

Still, Brosnan's in no rush to follow in Roger Moore's footsteps as a spy who won't die. ''Whether I do a fourth or a fifth or a sixth Bond movie, I would suspect there would be somebody else after me,'' he says. And as for all those scripts that come his way featuring Bond knock-offs? ''Most of them go in the trash,'' he shrugs. ''Or they just sit there.'' Hey, we hear they make good martini coasters...