There is a question in the air right now about whether there will be a Miss Moneypenny or Q in the next Bond film and if the actors have their way there will be!
The 74-year-old actress – who play MI5 chief M in the movies – told the Daily Telegraph she would love John Cleese and Samantha Bond to reprise their roles and bring some humour back to Bond.
Dame Judi said: “That would be good if it was thought right to bring back those characters. Wouldn’t it be Samantha Bond as Miss Moneypenny and John Cleese as Q. Who else?”
Asked if she’ll be returning as M in the next 007 film she replied: “You bet. As M you get to treat this powerful man very, very badly.”
Daniel Craig, who has brought a hard edge to Bond’s playboy character, said recently: “We can do anything with the next film and, if we want to bring back Miss Moneypenny and Q then we can.”
The standby scenes in nearly every Bond movie have always been the mission briefing by M, and the silly “here’s the new toys” walkthrough by Q. I thought passing the torch to John Cleese worked really well, but I would sooner see a younger Moneypenny to play off the sexual tension and suggestion. Moneypenny is supposed to be smitten by Bond in the films and is not immune to his charms.
But this is a different Bond (an Early Bondy) and the tone of the films is a step darker than the previous Bond films. However, it might be nice to sneak in a tiny bit of those light moments we come to expect from Bond in a baby step transition from the dark gritty Bond to the womanizing playboy he eventually becomes.
