No Time To Die star Ben Whishaw has provided an honest answer to questions about whether he is set to return as Q in the next James Bond entry. Making his franchise debut as the MI-6 Quartermaster in 2012’s Skyfall, Whishaw is the third actor to assume the coveted title after Desmond Llewelyn and comedian John Cleese. One of the franchise’s key recurring characters, Q’s first official appearance occurred in 1963’s From Russia with Love when Llewelyn replaced Dr. No’s MI-6 armorer Major Boothroyd (Peter Burton). Since then, Q has appeared in a total of 22 of the 25 official James Bond films.
During an interview with RadioTimes.com, Whishaw was asked how the franchise could continue after Daniel Craig’s Bond was killed in the last movie, and the actor has since exited the role. Suggesting that the franchise needs to “keep renewing” itself to keep going, he also stated that he was only ever contracted for three films, making his own return unlikely. Check out his comments below:
“I was only contracted to do three films, and they’re done. How many films have they made – 25 or something? I think they have to keep renewing it if they want to keep going!”
Why James Bond’s Next Q Could Be The Key To Bringing The Franchise Back To Its Roots
While it is disappointing that Whishaw’s comments seemingly indicate that he will not return for future Bond films, his exit from the role allows producers to reinject the franchise with some of the earlier movies’ more fantastical elements. Over the years, Q and MI-6’s Q Branch have been responsible for equipping 007 and his fellow agents with an assortment of equipment that often pushed the boundaries of believability. Though the practicality of some equipment would be considered laughable in more grounded espionage thrillers, Bond’s fantastical gadgets were once considered almost as iconic as his preferred choice of beverage.
However, when Craig assumed the role in 2006’s Casino Royale, the decision was made to reinvent the character as a far more serious and realistic version of Ian Fleming’s beloved spy. As a result, many of the trappings that his predecessors came to rely on during their own Bond adventures went by the wayside. Even when Q was reintroduced back into the franchise in 2012’s Skyfall, the invisible cars and exploding pens were gone, and in their place, Whishaw’s Q supplied 007 with a new gun and a miniaturized radio.
As a younger Q portrayed as a computer security expert, Whishaw was the perfect foil for Craig’s more grounded Bond. However, with both actors seemingly done with the franchise, many viewers are clamoring to see James Bond return to the kind of fun and frivolous adventures from his earlier days. Replacing No Time To Die’s Q with a more wizened and acerbic character capable of equipping the next Bond with any manner of elaborate gadget would be the perfect way to achieve just that.
