This James Bond star thinks the franchise will be completely rebooted

Seven actors have played the iconic MI6 agent James Bond. There have been more than 20 films released over the course of 60 years. The character has seen the world around him change. He started out as a Cold War agent, fighting bad guys long enough to see the fall of the Soviet Union. His cars went from being unique in that they had a few hidden gadgets to being invisible with the flip of a switch. The spy’s attitude towards women… has mostly stayed the same. Still, a lot has changed during Bond’s tenure, and the cast has certainly played a part in that.

Although Bond has been played by seven different actors, his supporting cast has seen several returning stars. Lois Maxwell played MI6 secretary Miss Moneypenny in fourteen films, interacting with three different Bonds. Desmond Llewelyn played the head of Q Branch for over thirty years, playing opposite five of the seven Bond actors. Judi Dench is the latest and most memorable character, playing Dial M for Bonds played by Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

Even in the “grounded” films of the Craig era, Dench maintained a strange continuity in the series. There were frequent rumours that Craig’s Bond would be established as one in a long line of “James Bonds.” But these were just rumours. Instead, Dench’s M was a recurring character, ultimately discarded in Sam Mendes’ film Sky Fall. Craig’s 007 tenure will end in 2021 No time to die. Fans have been waiting to see what direction the franchise will take ever since. One former star has a pretty good idea.

Ben Whishaw took over the role of Q in Craig’s films. While his version of the character never created anything as outrageous as an invisible car for Craig, he did provide him with a wealth of elegant gadgets and sarcastic wit. Given Whishaw’s young age, it would make sense to continue the tradition of keeping an actor (or two) in their roles despite the changing Bonds. However, Whishaw seems to think his time as the character is over.

“I don’t think I’ll be in the next one,” Whishaw recently told the BBC. “I think they’ll start over with a new cast, a completely new cast. I think that’s my hunch, but I don’t know. I have no idea.” Amazon now owns MGM, which produces the Bond films. People are wondering what changes, if any, the company will make to the franchise. If Wishaw’s hunch is to be believed, the first step will be a clean slate.

“I think it might need a new lease of life and a whole new group of people,” Whishaw mused about the long-running franchise. He’s not wrong. I’ve really enjoyed Craig’s films, even the last two, which were more like the “older” Bond adventure. Still, the best (of all the Bond films, perhaps) Casino Royal. Part of his success is based on his ability to break new ground, despite being the 21st first in this particular Bond series. A fresh injection of energy is needed to keep the films (or streaming series, let’s be honest) going strong.

While Whishaw doesn’t think he’ll be back, he’s not closing the door. “But if they asked me, I would, of course,” he explained. Hopefully, he’ll be asked back. Whishaw is a phenomenal actor, and his Q would be a perfect fit for any era of Bond. While Q Millennial worked well for Craig, Wishaw could still play the role if the next iteration were set during the Cold War. There are options, and Whishaw should be included in them. Still, a completely new cast would make sense.