This James Bond Star Thinks The Franchise Will Be Reset Entirely

By Andrew Sanford | Celebrity | September 17, 2024 |

By Andrew Sanford | Celebrity | September 17, 2024 |

Seven actors have played famed MI6 agent James Bond. There have been over 20 films, released over 60 years. The character has seen the world around him change. He started as a Cold War Agent and has fought bad guys long enough to see the Soviet Union fall. His cars went from being special for having a few hidden gadgets to being able to turn invisible at the flip of a switch. The spy’s attitudes towards women have… mostly stayed the same. Still, a lot has changed during Bond’s tenure, and the cast has certainly been part of that.

Despite seven different actors playing Bond, his supporting cast has seen several recurring stars. Lois Maxwell played MI6 secretary, Miss Moneypenny, in fourteen films, interacting with three different Bonds in the process. Desmond Llewelyn played the head of Q Branch for over thirty years, acting alongside five of the seven Bond actors. Judi Dench is the most recent and memorable holdover, playing M for Bonds portrayed by Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

Even in the “grounded” Craig-era films, Dench kept a weird continuity in the franchise. There were oft rumors that Craig’s Bond would be established as one in a long line of “James Bonds.” But they were just that; Rumors. Instead, Dench’s M was the recurring element, eventually written off in the Sam Mendes film Skyfall. Craig’s tenure as 007 would end in 2021’s No Time To Die. Since then, fans have been waiting to see where the franchise will go next. One former star has a decent guess.

Ben Whishaw took over the role of Q in the Craig films. While his version of the character never created anything as outrageous as an invisible car for Craig, he supplied him with plenty of sleek gadgets and snarky wit. Given Whishaw’s young age, it would make sense to continue the tradition of keeping an actor (or two) in their roles despite the changing Bond. However, Whishaw seems to think that his time as the character has come to an end.

“I don’t think I’m going to be in the next one,” Whishaw recently explained to the BBC. “I think they’re going to start all over again, and with a new cast, a completely new cast. I think that’s my hunch, but I don’t know. I have no idea.” Amazon now owns MGM, which makes the Bond films. People have been wondering what changes (if any) the company will bring to the franchise. If Wishaw’s hunch is to be believed, the first step will be a clean slate.

“I think it might need a new lease of life and a whole new group of people,” Whishaw mused about the long-running franchise. He’s not wrong. I quite liked the Craig films, even the latter two which felt more like “older” Bond adventure. Still, the best one (maybe of all the Bond films) is Casino Royale. Part of its success hinges on its ability to break new ground despite being the 21 first in this particular Bond franchise. A fresh shot in the arm is needed to keep the films (or streaming series, let’s be honest) going strong.

While Whishaw doesn’t think he’ll be back, he isn’t closing the door. “But if they asked me, I would do it, of course,” he explained. I hope he is asked back. Whishaw is a phenomenal actor and his Q would fit perfectly in any Bond era. While a Millenial Q worked for Craig, Wishaw could still nail the role were the next iteration set during the Cold War. There are options and Whishaw should be included in them. Still, a completely new cast would make sense too.