Ben Whishaw doesn’t think he’ll return to ‘James Bond’
British actor Ben Whishaw has expressed doubt surrounding his potential return to the James Bond franchise, in which he has played Q in the three most recent instalments.
The actor, also known for voicing Paddington in the popular film series, made his first appearance in the James Bond series in 2012’s Skyfall. He then played the part in Spectre and No Time To Die. However, now that Daniel Craig will no longer be playing the 007 agent, Whishaw is confident that he’ll not be invited back for a fourth film.
Craig first played Bond in 2005’s Casino Royale, returning to the character four more times over the years. Now, Whishaw believes that a whole new cast will be employed for the new movies in the franchise.
On the BBC programme Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Whishaw opened up about his thoughts on the upcoming films: “I don’t think I’m going to be in the next one.” He continued, “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.”
Still, he is open to returning to the franchise if the opportunity arises. “I think it could be good for it, but if they asked me, I would do it, of course,” Whishaw admitted.
When is the next James Bond film being released?
Fans of the franchise shouldn’t get their hopes up; little is known about the next James Bond movie. Judging by Whishaw’s response, no major casting decisions have been made as of yet.
In 2023, producer Barbara Broccoli told The Guardian, “I think these movies reflect the time they are in, and there’s a big, big road ahead reinventing it for the next chapter and we haven’t even begun with that.” It seems like, a year on, the new movie is still in the early stages of pre-production.
Who is going to be the next James Bond?
There has been lots of speculation surrounding the next actor to play Bond ever since Craig took a step down from the role after No Time To Die. One of the most talked-about stars in relation to the part is Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who rose to prominence in movies like Kickass, Godzilla, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Bullet Train.
Other actors who have been considered by fans include Idris Elba, known for playing the titular detective in Luther, but talk of Elba taking the role has died down in recent years. Jonathan Bailey, Cillian Murphy, Barry Keoghan, and Paul Mescal have also been suggested by fans, but there’s no concrete evidence to suggest they are in the running.
At this stage, a director is still yet to be attached to the upcoming James Bond movie, and the leading man remains undecided. Nevertheless, whoever is elected as the star will have big shoes to fill following the departure of Craig.
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