As the world of James Bond movies is in a crucial period of transition, an air of mystery hangs over the current MI6 family cast in the franchise and whether they’ll be there to welcome a new 007. Actors like Ben Whishaw aren’t sure about their status in the series, though in the case of the man who is the current Q, he thinks he’s about to be replaced. If this is true, it’s a really terrible idea in the march up to Bond 26.
What Ben Whishaw Said About His Future As Q
Catching up with ScreenRant in a recent interview, Whishaw was asked whether or not he knew anything about a potential role in the continuing Bond franchise. Addressing this often-asked question with his usual charm, Ben Whishaw shared his concerns as follows:
Your guess is as good as mine. I have not heard anything. I have a suspicion that they might sort of wipe the slate clean and start again, so maybe not, sadly.
This is exactly the same sort of question that’s also been posed to Naomie Harris and Ralph Fiennes given what went down in No Time To Die’s literally explosive ending. When asked, Harris was also uncertain, but hoping to retain her role. That same sort of company line can also be traced to Fiennes and other co-stars hoping for more 007 in their careers.
Just as Moneypenny and M are important pieces to the James Bond legacy, making up a big part of the MI6 family that backs 007 in the field, their positions are roughly linked with that of Q. After Daniel Craig’s James Bond reboot era, everything seems up for grabs, even the recently installed cast of characters vital to every mission. Which, of course, is part of why recasting these characters is a terrible idea.
Why Recasting The MI6 Family Is A Terrible Idea
For the purposes of rebooting the Bond films, it was clear that a mostly clean slate was needed when the Daniel Craig era started. With Dame Judi Dench’s M being the only holdover from the Pierce Brosnan James Bond movies, the rest of the MI6 family wouldn’t come into the picture until 2012’s Skyfall. If Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson are looking to make that same sort of top down reboot, then it might be a necessarily evil so to speak.
However, keeping the existing team of Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, and Ralph Fiennes in their respective roles could act as a proper foundation for whomever plays 007 next. As the next Commander Bond is going to be a fresh face that has experience in the world of espionage, he’s going to need a group of people as experienced as he is.
Previous continuity in the franchise has seen new actors slipping into the tuxedo with the same actors reprising the roles of M, Q, and Moneypenny. People might be less open to that sort of loose connection in the MCU era of filmmaking, but considering how recent the introductions of these incarnations occurred, there’s still some time left on the clock.
For now, we all know as much as Ben Whishaw about the future of James Bond. Hopefully 2023 will provide some much sought after updates, as Bond 26 is set to start filming James Bond’s return next year. In the meantime, fans can relive the final adventure of Daniel Craig’s 007 in No Time To Die, which is streaming for those of you with a Prime Video subscription.