LOL. 40? Bronson turns
52 in May!
And he looked it too, in
Die Another Day.
Everything I've read/heard--and that's not a lot--is that they are re-doing Bond in a grittier, "new" fashion, as a fresh, wet-behind-the-ears new 00. That entails a much younger Bond.
Bronson had a 4th option on
DAD, really one more than he should have done. I'm pretty sure he was done with the role and so was MGM. I don't think there was ever a question of him coming back for 5.
Bond is like Dr. Who...no pleasing everyone.