Rowan Atkinson's Johnny English makes Mr Bean a has-been

Rowan Atkinson hits red carpet in Sydney

Rowan Atkinson has walked the red carpet in Sydney for the world premiere of Johnny English Reborn.

MR Bean is dead as Johnny English is "reborn".

Rowan Atkinson, the man behind both comic characters, said in Sydney yesterday he couldn't imagine ever playing his most successful creation again.
"I'd be surprised if I did any more Mr Bean, I'd say that much," Atkinson told The Australian while promoting his movie, Johnny English Reborn.
"I think I've played Mr Bean for the last time, although of course you must never say never, but I think that's the end of him."
It isn't a rash decision - Atkinson is not one to jump into projects. His previous performance, Mr Bean's Holiday, was four years ago and before that, apart from one small cameo, he was last seen on screen in Love Actually and Johnny English in 2003.
But Atkinson is involved in the development of the Bean and Johnny English "franchises", taking star billing and executive producer credits.
He lets others take the writing credits, yet the characters are very much his own.
"It just seems movies are complicated and if you try to make it good it takes a lot longer than if you don't try to make it good," he said.
Atkinson joked that it could be "indicative of just a slow-moving brain on my part" although he enjoys long breaks between projects.
"But I do wish very often that I could just be a film actor rather than a 'film actor slash exec producer', which I tend to be on all these films I make. I would love to be able to turn up for three weeks, do my bit and go home."