Pierce Brosnan Is Unrecognizable as a Boxing Trainer in the ‘Giant’ Trailer, and Fans Can’t Get Over It

Few things turn heads in Hollywood quite like a beloved actor disappearing entirely into a role, and Pierce Brosnan has done exactly that with the newly released second trailer for ‘Giant’. The former James Bond is almost impossible to place behind a white combover and thick-rimmed glasses as he portrays real-life Irish boxing trainer Brendan Ingle, and the transformation has already set the internet buzzing.

‘Giant’ is based on the true story of British-Yemeni boxing champion Prince Naseem “Naz” Hamed and his relationship with Ingle, charting Naz’s rise from humble beginnings in Sheffield to becoming a world champion. The trailer opens with Brosnan’s Ingle spotting potential in a young boy named Naseem and taking him under his wing, while also teasing the conflict that would eventually fracture the bond between mentor and student.

Brosnan swaps his usual suave look for a white combover and glasses, showing serious range well beyond his days as James Bond. Fans had already caught a first glimpse of the transformation back in 2024, when photos from the set showed the actor walking around in character wearing a blue tracksuit, but the full trailer makes the commitment to the role undeniable.

‘Giant’ had its world premiere at the 2025 BFI London Film Festival and is now scheduled to arrive on May 22 in select theaters and on digital platforms. The film is written and directed by Rowan Athale, who spoke to Deadline about his passion for the project, calling it “hilarious, heartbreaking and cinematically thrilling.”

In a separate conversation with Variety, Athale revealed that Brosnan was on his “dream list” but he assumed the actor was untouchable, until a producer encouraged him to try. The pitch happened in the middle of a supermarket, with Athale walking the vegetable aisle for twenty minutes on a call he initially thought was from one of Brosnan’s agents. A day later, the actor was in.

Sylvester Stallone serves as one of the film’s executive producers, with the full cast including Amir El-Masry as the young Naseem, alongside Katherine Dow Blyton, Ali Saleh, Ghaith Saleh, and Toby Stephens. The real Brendan Ingle passed away in 2018 from a brain hemorrhage at the age of 77, having trained four world champions over the course of his career, including Hamed, Johnny Nelson, Junior Witter, and Kell Brook.

The film explores the unlikely and tender bond between Naz and Ingle, a steel industry worker who ran a modest boxing gym in a church hall in the north of England, and the crucial role that relationship played in shaping one of the most charismatic athletes the sport has ever produced. According to the official synopsis, Naseem faced rampant racism and Islamophobia throughout his journey, yet still rose to become a global sporting icon both inside and outside the ring.

Let us know in the comments whether you think Pierce Brosnan’s transformation in ‘Giant’ is his most striking performance yet.