No Time To Die actor Ben Whishaw says that the James Bond franchise requires a "radical" change to keep up with the times. No Time To Die finally had its world premiere last night at London's iconic Royal Albert Hall after numerous delays due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It will get a theatrical release in the UK this Friday, October 1. The film features a stellar cast with Daniel Craig returning for his fifth and final outing as James Bond. He is joined by returning actors Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Lea Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes and Christoph Waltz, along with newcomers Lashana Lynch, Ana De Armas and Rami Malek, who plays Bond's main adversary, Lyutsifer Safin.
Directed and co-written by Cary Joji Fukunaga (True Detective, Maniac, Jane Eyre), No Time To Die follows Bond, who is retired from active duty and living a peaceful life in Jamaica only for an old friend from the CIA to turn up and ask him for help. Naturally, Bond becomes embroiled in a treacherous mission. The film will feature recurring characters from some of Craig's preceding Bond films, including Whishaw, who reprises his role from Skyfall and Spectre as Q, the MI6 quartermaster and one of Bond's trusted allies. However, Whishaw previously mentioned that he was unsure whether he would return for future instalments, as his three-film contract for the series has run out.
In a recent episode of the Just For Variety podcast, Whishaw spoke about his role as Q. The actor gave his thoughts on the future of the 007 series and the direction he thinks it should take. Whishaw said the franchise needed to make a "radical" change in Bond's next set of adventures, which he thinks would also provide a welcome boost. He also mentioned that an overhaul of such a large scope won't be an easy feat, as there will be longtime fans of the films "who want it to stick to the way it was," because of their adoration for the franchise. However, Whishaw stressed the importance to satisfy the wants of these fans as well, and says it's possible to do both. Read Whishaw's full comments below:
“If they want to continue with this character and the franchise, I think you can explode it and do anything. I don’t know what that should be, but it seems to me like it should be something quite radical, something really different. It’s got to change; it’s got to keep changing. We’re in different times now. There will always be people who want it to stick to the way it was whenever ago, and they’re important, because they love these films. But I think you can do both. You can honor the character and the tradition, and you can push it forward, too. And I think you have to, if it’s not just going to become a kind of museum piece."
It is unclear as to exactly what kind of overhaul Whishaw was referring to, whether it was related to the tone of the series or the casting choice. When Casino Royale rolled out into theatres in 2006, it provided a much-needed shot in the arm to the franchise and instilled it with renewed energy. The film introduced a more edgy tone and Craig's new, flawed and dangerous version of the iconic character. And with his run as Bond ending after 15 years, it would make sense to re-energize the franchise in a similar yet substantial way, even if it meant going with an unconventional casting choice for the next iteration of the British spy.
Whether the next Bond will be female, an actor of color, or both, is still an ongoing conversation. The film's producers recently confirmed that casting discussions around the new Bond won't begin until 2022, so fans may have to sit back and wait it out until then for further developments on the future of the series. Whether they will follow Whishaw's advice and include a "radical" shake-up to the franchise remains to be seen. For now, audiences at least get a chance to say goodbye to Daniel Craig's much-loved version of the character when No Time To Die hits theatres.
Source: Just For Variety podcast
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