The reputation of Quantum of Solace as one of the weakest of the Daniel Craig James Bond movies would likely have been compounded further if it had delivered on its original plan for M (Judi Dench). The extraordinary success of Casino Royale in rebooting James Bond for the 21st century proved a tough act to follow. The four movies that came after were undoubted successes at the box office but, aside from Skyfall, none of them received the same level of acclaim and love among longtime fans of the franchise.
While some fans have been vocally critical of Spectre, particularly for its use of the iconic villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld, it was Quantum of Solace that became renowned as the low point of the Daniel Craig era of the James Bond franchise. However, James Bond screenwriter Neal Purvis has revealed an early plan for the movie that would have made Quantum of Solace even worse. Purvis told The Hollywood Reporter, “[Killing M] was a given back when we started Quantum of Solace. And I wouldn’t say it was a throwaway scene or anything [in Quantum] because it was still emotional.” Thankfully, the decision was made to cut the scene, as killing M then would not have felt like the right time and would have reduced its impact.
M’s Death Worked Far Better In Skyfall Than It Would’ve In Quantum Of Solace
Over the course of three movies, M and James Bond developed an almost mother-son relationship that made M’s death in Skyfall feel right. At times fractious due to Bond’s tendency to go rogue on assignments, there was nonetheless an inherent trust and affection that developed between them that was only solidified by the events of Skyfall. Throughout that movie, M’s trust in James Bond was unshakable. She wanted and needed him to do his job because even though his physical and psychiatric evaluations were substandard, she believed in his ability to do what was necessary. This meant that while he was unable to save her life, it still led to a poignant and touching final moment between the two of them.
In comparison, killing off M in the already dark Quantum of Solace would have been less effective or impactful. At that point, her relationship with Bond was still relatively impersonal and her anger at the collateral damage caused in part by the death of Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) was palpable. As a result, had M died two-thirds of the way through Quantum of Solace, there would have been little reason for audiences to care, other than as an acknowledgment of Judi Dench’s long service to the James Bond franchise as its iconic first female M.
M’s Death In Quantum Of Solace Would’ve Hurt Daniel Craig’s Arc
Daniel Craig’s James Bond was undoubtedly the most emotional incarnation of the character. His arc took him from an impersonal cold-blooded killer to a man capable of trusting and even loving other people enough to be willing to sacrifice his life in No Time to Die. In this way, the female characters of Daniel Craig’s Bond era have been integral to that journey. Vesper Lynd initially showed he was capable of being more than just a cynical assassin, while his love for Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux) and their daughter Mathilde (Lisa-Dorah Sonnet) made his death in No Time to Die about more than simply saving the world.
In her own way, M was just as important. She was a mentor who nurtured him through his grief and showed him that she trusted him in ways that few others would or could. Of course, their relationship was far from perfect, but Bond’s willingness to risk his life to save M from Raoul Silva in Skyfall could even have been said to have foreshadowed his choice in No Time to Die. All of this only underlined that the decision not to kill off M in Quantum of Solace minimized the damage it could do to the James Bond franchise while also maximizing the positive impact that her death had on the larger story of the Daniel Craig era.
