After fan speculation about the role that young English actor Ben Whishaw will play in the 23rd James Bond film, Skyfall, his agent confirmed to the BBC that Wishaw would play “Q”, the MI6 Quartermaster played for over two decades by Desmond Llewelyn.
The role also went to Monty Python star John Cleese for a single outing, Die Another Day.
It will be the first time that 007 is older than his gadget master, and it looks as if the creatives behind Skyfall are looking for a completely new direction for the Quatermaster – rather than attempting to recreate the popularity of Llewelyn’s long-serving character.
About Skyfall – James Bond 23 (2012)
The new Bond movie will star Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Berenice Marlohe, Albert Finney and Judi Dench, produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. The 007 screenplay will be written by regular James Bond scribes Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, working with John Logan (Gladiator & The Last Samurai). Director of American Beauty and Road To Perdition, Sam Mendes will be directing the new James Bond movie. MGM and Sony Pictures Entertainment in a joint statement on 2nd June 2011 announced that “Bond 23″ will go on release in the UK on Friday, 26th October, 2012 and in the USA on 9th November 2012. The first major announcement from EON Productions and Sony Pictures came on 3rd November 2011 in London when the principle cast was announced, along with a rough plot line. In Skyfall, Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.
#1 by Radox on 25 November 2011 - 7:40 pm
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Demand Llewelyn played Q for two centuries? Man, he must’ve been older than I thought.
#2 by M on 25 November 2011 - 11:05 pm
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Blooper caught Radox – thanks! Decades and certainly not centuries.
#3 by Jumper on 26 November 2011 - 7:59 pm
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I sure hope they’ve got things right, in all honesty i’m very happy to see one of the main things that makes a bond film ‘bond’ for me. But i just hope that they don’t make a very dull characture out of Q. Young, nerdy and boring would really ruin this reboot.
Also they need more than just a smartphone and a defibrillator to be classed as ‘real gadgets’. And bring back the classic ’007 wit’! I’ve been missing the old bond style.
I feel that without gadgets and wit, he’s just another cold blooded killiner in an action film being labeled as being ‘bond’. I found bond in CR being too much of a rough ‘andrelenin junkie’!
#4 by Daniel on 26 November 2011 - 11:24 pm
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Good news!!
Wishaw an absolutely great actor. And his whimsy, charm, and intelligence will bring an interesting new approach to Q I bet.
#5 by Agent 7F on 29 November 2011 - 2:05 am
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Well I’m glad Q came back Ben Wishaw will great put 007 in Safe grounds.