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Ben Whishaw To Form An Orderly Q In Skyfall

by James Erwin

25 Nov

The classic formula for a James Bond film contains a number of vital components - there are the women of course (Bond sleeps with 2 women per film, on average), the megalomaniac antagonist (often joined by a distinctive henchman/woman), the sports car, the black silenced pistol, the tuxedo and the one-liners, to name but a few. They are all crucial aspects of what has made the franchise such a consistent success over almost half a century of films.

Another element that is sorely missed by enthusiasts and occasionals alike is the ever-amusing gadgetry briefing/lecture from Q branch. A role made famous by the late Desmond Llewelyn, Q is the ingenious inventor of some of Bond's best-loved gizmos.

Ben Whishaw Conspicuously absent from the Daniel Craig era (the last Q having been played by John Cleese in 2002's Die Another Day), Q seemed to have been a casualty of the new, grittier tone adopted in Casino Royale (2006) and Quantum of Solace (2008). This, however, is all set to change in Sam Mendes' Skyfall.

Today, THR revealed that 31-year-old Englishman Ben Whishaw, who was part of the originally announced cast without being specified a role, is set to reintroduce Q to the franchise. A man most famous for roles in the Dylan-inspired I'm Not There (2007) and his appearance alongside Daniel Craig in Layer Cake (2004), Whishaw will be the first Q to be younger than Bond - with Craig being 12 years his elder.

With a supporting cast that includes Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney and the returning Judi Dench, Mendes' film is set for UK release in October 2012.

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James Erwin

James recently completed a Film Studies Masters at St Andrews, thereby fully depleting his life-savings. The job market is currently making him feel like The Black Knight (of Python fame). Obsessions include Spaced, Casablanca and Indiana Jones & The Temple Of Doom. Pet hates include people who wait at pelican crossings without pressing the button and the collected works of Paul W. S. Anderson.

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