I'm not crazy about the choice. I was really hoping they'd pick someone like Clive Owens or even guy from the Transporter movies. Both have a bit of understated menace to them that Bond's character needs.

I believe Brosnan's contract was not renewed because:
1) He wanted too much money
2) He wanted too much control (he claimed he was never allowed to make Bond his "own" and despised the one liners prevalent in the movies)