Q actor Ben Whishaw doesn’t think he’ll be returning to James Bond

Q actor Ben Whishaw doesn’t think he’ll be returning to the James Bond franchise, even though he’d like to.

READ MORE: ‘No Time To Die’ review: Daniel Craig’s surprisingly emotional final fling

It’s been three years since the last Bond outing, but there’s no further news yet about who will be cast as the next Bond following Daniel Craig’s departure or who will make up the supporting cast.

During an appearance on Sunday with Laura Kussenberg last week (September 15), Whishaw was asked if he’d be taking on another Bond project after playing tech boffin Q in the franchise.

Whishaw replied: “I don’t think I’m going to be in the next one. I think they’re going to start all over again with a new cast, a completely new cast. That’s my hunch” (per Radio Times).

When asked if he’d do another film, Whishaw added: “I’d do it if they asked me. But I think it might need a kind of new lease of life and a whole new group of people. I think it could be good for it. But if they asked me I would do it, of course.”

Back in April, Aaron Taylor-Johnson was asked about rumours that he may be playing the next James Bond.

The actor, 33, has been a favourite for the iconic role since January 2023 when it was reported that he had impressed producer Barbara Broccoli in a screen test. Earlier this year, it was reported that EON Production had offered him the job, and that they were awaiting his response.

Taylor-Johnson has not directly confirmed or denied the rumours, and at an event in April, swerved a question about the 007 gig.

Speaking to the Associated Press at The Fall Guy premiere in London (April 22), the Tenet star was asked whether he was “sick of being asked about Bond” by an interviewer.

After a pause, Taylor-Johnson replied: “You sick of asking the question?”, to which the reporter responded: “I want to know, so no.” The Kick-Ass star then laughed and ended the conversation with: “Alright, have a good one,” before walking away.

It followed a Rolling Stone interview the star did earlier this year too in which he gave a vague response to his upcoming work: “I can only really talk about the things I’m going to show and tell. So, The Fall Guy, Nosferatu, Kraven The Hunter.”

He also swerved the topic in an interview with Esquire, saying: “As I’ve already told you, I have to go by the beat of my own drum. It’s my own path, what feels intuitive to me.”

Meanwhile, former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan also weighed in on the potential casting, showing his support for Taylor-Johnson.

The post Q actor Ben Whishaw doesn’t think he’ll be returning to James Bond appeared first on NME.