Ben Whishaw starred as Q in three James Bond flicks alongside Daniel Craig, but over the weekend, the British actor said he isn’t expecting to receive a call to star in a fourth.
“I don’t think I’m going to be in the next one,” Whishaw told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg. “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.”
“I think it might need a new lease of life and a whole new group of people,” he said. “But if they asked me, I would do it, of course.”
As expected, there’s been much speculation about the future of the Bond franchise following 2021’s No Time To Die. Craig’s Bond died in that film and the name most frequently bandied about by British tabloids as the frontrunner to replace Craig is Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
In March, Taylor-Johnson received a vote of confidence from former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan who said the actor “has the chops” to take on the role. The former 007 agent co-starred with Taylor-Johnson in 2009’s The Greatest, a film that Brosnan produced.
“One of the first movies we made, one of our earliest movies, was The Greatest – and he was in it,” Brosnan said in an interview on The Ray D’Arcy Show on RTÉ Radio 1. “He was The Greatest in it. It’s a lovely movie with Aaron and Carey Mulligan and Susan Sarandon and myself.”
Brosnan continued: “So yes, I read the news about his possibilities of being a Bond, so I would definitely tip my hat to the fellow.”
If Taylor-Johnson becomes the next Bond, Brosnan advises the actor: “Be bold. Go out there, have a great time. Just love it. Just go for it.”
The Next James Bond
In an interview with the BBC, Ben Whishaw stated that he does not think he will be in the next James Bond film, which is a sign of a complete restart for the franchise. While the actor would reprise his role as Q if asked, he believes the new film should start fresh with a new cast. In this way, the James Bond franchise would experience a revitalization, as new actors would bring a fresh perspective to the role.
Whishaw's Perspective On the Future of the Bond Franchise
Ben Whishaw's comments on the future of the James Bond franchise indicate a shift in how the franchise is moving forward. In past years, the Bond franchise has seen the passing of the torch from one actor to another. While the lead role changes, many supporting characters remain, such as Dame Judy Dench's M, or Desmond Llewelyn's Q. But Whishaw believes the new film should be a clean slate.
The Future of James Bond
Ben Whishaw's comments have sparked speculation about the next chapter of the James Bond franchise. The franchise has been a part of popular culture for decades and will continue to be a source of conversation, no matter how it unfolds. Whishaw's comments are just one part of a much larger conversation about the future of the James Bond franchise. The new James Bond film is sure to be a highly anticipated release, and fans around the world are eagerly awaiting news about the casting, the plot, and the direction the franchise will take. It remains to be seen how the franchise will evolve, but one thing is certain: James Bond will continue to captivate audiences for years to come.
