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I'd say not, because although it's a nice gimmick, the actual MI6 chief's codename is 'C' and the last incumbent has been Alex Younger and is now Richard Moore. Barely a 'C' in sight...
I knew "C" started with Sir Mansfield Cummings (SP?) but I didn't know that the C tradition continued after that. That's cool!
I agree we should keep M's office (and keep using Vauxhall Cross, etc), but an entirely new cast is needed IMO.
Arguably, Bond's world has the whole thing backwards though. In real life "C" is the only person working at MI6 whose involvement with the service is publicly acknowledged. Everybody else's identity is at least officially kept secret.
Bond's M is supposed to be this great secret, not the head of a huge government agency. (Although Skyfall throws a bit of a wrench into that, with the whole "standing in the stocks at midday.") And in the books, or at least the YOLT obit, it seems like the exploits of James Bond are largely known to the public, as the books themselves seem to exist in the world of the books.
To get back closer to topic: I personally would really like it if they finally managed to convey that Tanner is Bond's closest (thing to a) friend in the service. It seems like lately that role has been taken up by Q and Moneypenny (which is in itself interesting) with Tanner being relegated to exposition machine and someone for M to play against - and with Fiennes'-M he doesn't even really get to do a lot of that.
To me it makes much more sense for him to be a very important point of contact for someone like 007, to the point that I think Tanner should more often be "the guy in Bond's ear". I've always thought it's weird M has direct operational oversight of individual missions like that and although I am glad they got Whishaw something more to do, it doesn't really make sense for Q either.
On a more meta-level: I think it could be good for the productions to scale back the role of M a bit, but continue to go after really big names for it. In that way, you could go to someone like Mark Rylance or Kenneth Branagh or Gary Oldman (I'd love Jonathan Pryce, too, but I thing TND pulls him out of the race) and go: "Look, this is one of the legendary roles. It'll take a week at most. All of it will be in London."
And for Tanner you go with more of a working actor. I would actually like it a lot if they brought back Tobias Menzies, but he is maybe out of the age bracket to realistically be a new, younger Bond's friend, or say a Tom Cullen.
Another option for Tanner I like a lot, but will never happen, is to pick one of the "could have been Bonds". Fassbender, Clive Owen, Idris Elba, Dominic West, Dougray Scott. The idea being that Tanner has basically the same background as Bond, but instead of taking the route towards the 00 section (or just never making it) he switched to running operations.
That being said was Fiennes Wishaw and Harris contracts for 3 films or 4 I assumed four which would likely mean they will be back for the next one
Do a film where Bond finally get it on with Moneypenny!
Q: Ross Kemp? Mitchell and Webb? Bill Bailey? Sophia Myles?
MoneyPenny should be a secretary again BUT make her head of ALL mission briefings / handovers on assignment akin to a Barrister's clerk: give her status, agency etc. Daisy ridley?
Bill Bailey as Q - now THAT would be inspired casting ! "Oi - Bond! Keep yer wits about ya, I'm about to demonstrate the musical devastation of this machine-gun Stratocaster...!"
I vote Nathalie as Moneypenny if Naomi Harris doesn't want to return.
I'd love it. She would be amazing in any administrative MI6 role.
YES !!! Though I don't understand why her presence as M would bar Hiddleston as Bond. I'm not proposing Hiddleston for Bond, mind you, but, come to think of it, whether we get another intense Bond with a multi-picture major story arc, or a more light-hearted set of films, I think Hiddleston could portray well a Bond who - even if only in private or in front of persons about to die and therefore never can give it away - displays his cruel, pleasure-seeking, expects-to-die-on-the-job, kinda sorta psycho side more. Of course, the psychological evaluations at MI 6 would have figured him out long ago, but, you see, that's part of the very reasons they want him. Do you want the truth ? Fine ! Here's the TRUTH ! They WANT him on that job, they NEED him on that job !
Personally I'd take Colman as M over Hiddleston as Bond.
I'm in 1000 times agreement, and yet she almost seems a bit too Dench-like in that role, like she'd be an obvious Robert Brown-style replacement. I'd rather get someone who could make it their own, as Fiennes has.
My other personal choice for M would be Lennie James
That's fun! I guess continuing that line of thought, Adrian Dunbar might make a good one too :)
I think the hardest person to cast will be Moneypenny.