CommanderBond.net

Judi Dench is currently 73 years old thus making her the oldest cinematic M yet (I'm not counting Edward Fox).

Bernard Lee (1908 - 1981)

Moonraker: 71 y/o

Death: 73 y/o

Robert Brown (1921 - 2003)

Licence to Kill: 68 y/o

Death: 82 y/o

Judi Dench

Quantum of Solace: 73 y/o

I hate being a Debbie Downer but how many more Bond films do you think she'll do? She'll be 74 on December 9th and assuming we get Bond 23 in 2010, she'll be nearing 76.

My prediction is that she does two or three more assuming Daniel Craig is still in the role. If Craig's tenure is cut short for some reason, I don't see her doing Bond #7's debut film unless she pulls a Desmond Llewelyn and hangs on until her mid-80s, which would be great!

I think she will do all of Craig's Bond movies, but you're right, she won't be M for the 7th actor's debut. Also, by then, they may decide to cast a man in the role again.

I think she's teetering on the edge of too old to realistically hold such a position as it is. Hopefully she'll 'retire' from being M gracefully...

She looks great for 73, I must say. She actually looks better, style-wise than she did in 1995.

Yeah because her 1995 haircut sucked!

As long as she's credible in the part, I don't see any reason to replace her (w/ or w/out Mr. Craig).

Agreed!! That was the same haircut she had back in 1982 when she was in a comedy show with her husband.

Women generally live longer, Dame Judi seems to love playing M. There doesn't seem to be real reason to doubt she'd continue indefinitely.

But yes, I also have a gut feeling that once Craig retires, maybe she'd feel that her role was "played out."

If this happens, I predict EON will go back to a male M. Perhaps a distinguished British actor in the right age group, and is willing to take on the role.

Who do all of you nominate? Let's keep out actors who don't seem likely to "step down" into such a role. They also need to fit the general age group. I'm not at all up to date on my actors, so I'm interested to be educated.

Maybe we can even get a former Bond! Maybe Dalton will be the right age. Connery would be too old (and he'd never do it anyway). Lazenby? Isn't he in is seventies already?

A former Bond would be exciting - you could play up the fact that M came from a field intelligence background - maybe even the 00-section!

Oh well. Have at it!

I agree that they may go for a male M. I am not sure it will be a distinguished actor. I don't think the role of M should be as stuffy as Bernard Lee's portrayal. Mind you I love Lee's portrayal as M. But it was a sign of the times.

Judging by the comments made by the real chief of MI5 in the recent Diana trial, he's a very different type of person to Bernard Lee.

Interesting--.

What would that look like? I guess I can't get out of my head the perfect stuffiness that Bernard Lee brought to the role, so I wonder what Mr. Dalton would do w/ that.

On the other hand, I would have rejected Sir Sean Connery right away, even if his age were right: Too much of an icon. But Mr. Dalton would have the right balance between credibility as a former MI6 field agent, and not being of such a profile as to overshadow the then current Bond.

Perhaps the way to have him do it would be to play it w/ out screen credit. The ultimate insider knowledge for CBn Forum participants!

Will have to think about this one.

She looks good for a 73 year old. But I doubt she could continue much longer. For credibility's sake and all that jazz. God knows I love her M, but I also don't want to see her in the role so long that her part becomes to comical, when she's grown out of the part... age-wise.

And I have no current favorite for next M. But maybe Charles Dance could do it. I've seen his name thrown around on these forums. He's 61 now, and could fit the part.

edit: In the long run however, I don't know who is in his/her right age to be playing M for, let's say the next 8 pictures... or whenever Judi Dench retires. Obviously he/she should be a little older than our hero; Bond. James Bond.

I'm sure she's got another five years in her at least, that puts her in the frame for the next Bond film - but probably not the one after, taking into account MGW's comments about wanting to take a little break before B23.

After that it's anybody's guess. I imagine that Craig will do more than one more, so we may well get a new M before the end of his time in the role.