Ben Whishaw will play Q in SkyFall

Good news for fans of Q and his gadgets: Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, producers of the 23rd James Bond adventure, SkyFall, announced today that the character of Q will be making a welcome return to the Bond franchise and confirmed that the role will be played by British actor Ben Whishaw.

It was already known that Whishaw would play a part in SkyFall and it was rumoured that he would portray Q, but it was not yet officially confirmed until today. A screenshot of Ben Whishaw of Q has been released, showing a young, 'geeky' Q with Bond (Daniel Craig) in the background.

Ben Whishaw as Q in Skyfall - photo © Danjaq, LLC, United Artists & Columbia Pictures

Whishaw becomes the fourth actor to play Bond’s quartermaster, affectionately known as Q. The role began with Peter Burton as Major Boothroyd in Dr. No followed by Desmond Llewelyn (in 17 Bond films between 1963-1999), and John Cleese (who appeared as Q’s assistant, R, in The World if not Enough and was later promoted to Q in Die Another Day).

Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli commented, “It’s a real thrill to confirm the return of Q in SkyFall played by the enormously talented, Ben Whishaw. We are delighted to have this beloved character back in the series.”

Ben Whishaw will be seen later this year in the film adaptation of David Mitchell’s best selling novel, Cloud Atlas, alongside an all-star cast including Tom Hanks, Jim Sturgess and Halle Berry, and in the BBC’s Richard II. He will also be seen in the second series of The Hour for the BBC, in which he stars opposite Dominic West. His films include roles in Bright Star, The Tempest, Brideshead Revisited, I’m Not There, Stoned, Layer Cake, Enduring Love, The Trench, Mauvaise Passé, and the lead roles in My Brother Tom and Perfume opposite Alan Rickman and Dustin Hoffman. He has also starred in the hugely popular BBC TV drama Criminal Justice which saw him pick up the award for best actor at the 2009 Royal Television Society Awards, Best Actor at the International Emmy Awards 2009 and was nominated for Best Actor at the 2009 BAFTA Television Awards. He will appear in Michael Grandage’s production of Peter and Alice in the title role opposite Judi Dench in 2013.

The return of the character Q will mean that it's very likely we'll be able to see some new Bond gadgets and/or vehicles, and possibly the return of the classic scene where Bond visits Q's lab and 'admires' Q's inventions.

Discuss the new Q on the Bond Lifestyle Forum