James Bond Why Skyfall Killed Off Judi Denchs M

James Bond: Why Skyfall Killed Off Judi Dench’s M

Skyfall saw the demise of Dame Judi Dench’s ‘M’ after an almost 20-year run, but why was she killed off in the 23rd James Bond film?

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James Bond Why Skyfall Killed Off Judi Denchs M

Dame Judi Dench’s ‘M’ met her fate in Skyfall after an almost 20-year run, and here’s why the filmmakers killed her off. From her debut in 1995’s GoldenEye, through to her final appearance in 2012’s Skyfall, Judi Dench embodied the role of M in a way few others had. When No Time To Die arrives in November, Ralph Fiennes will be returning in the role, but for many fans of the modern Bond films, Judi Dench remains the definitive M.

When the series was rebooted with 2005’s Casino Royale, Dench remained as the head of MI6 on the strength of her popularity. Having appeared in seven Bond films (eight, if you count her brief appearance in a prerecorded video message in Spectre), Dench had quite the run under her belt when it came time for her to reprise the role of M for the last time in Skyfall. And when the character met her demise, it was a momentous occasion for fans of 007. Not only was this the first time the character had been killed in a Bond movie, the death of the first female M felt like a bold, and even misguided, move to audiences who had come to love Dench’s masterful portrayal of Bond’s superior.

So why did the filmmakers kill off M in Skyfall? Much of it had to do with MGM and the producers trying to reinvigorate the 007 movies. Skyfall was originally planned to feature a much different story and ending, but it was always envisioned as a soft reboot for a franchise that was in trouble after the poorly-received Quantum of Solace. Part of this plan involved bringing back some elements from previous Bond films that appealed to fan nostalgia – including the Aston Martin DB5 and the return of Q Branch’s Bond gadgets. Alongside the ejector seat-equipped car, Skyfall reintroduced the character of Moneypenny, who arrived to support the new M (Ralph Fiennes). In short, Dench was cut as part of an effort to revitalize the series.

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Screenwriter John Logan revealed as much in a Skyfall ‘behind-the-scenes’ featurette, saying the film “was always going to lead to M’s death.” He goes on to talk about the movie’s soft reboot ambitions, saying: “It’s about Bond coming back to life in a new world, and to us there seemed no better way to create a new world than to give him a new M.” Logan’s insights all but confirm Dench’s departure was part of the Bond franchise’s attempt to win back audience favor following Quantum of Solace, with even Dench herself saying in the same featurette: “of course she’s got to go.”

Cutting Dench was a fairly gutsy move on the part of the Bond producers – especially Barbara Broccoli who had worked with the actress since her debut in GoldenEye some 17 years prior. Having a woman oversee the cavalier Bond brought a fresh new dynamic to the franchise, which remained intriguing right up to Skyfall. Her iconic castigation of Bond in GoldenEye, where she says she views him as “a sexist, misogynist dinosaur – a relic of the Cold War” instantly established an exciting new tension between the characters that remained fresh throughout the following six films. Short of a female 007, Dench’s M was the best way to introduce some female equality to a series that had famously lacked just that.

While it was clear major changes were required after Quantum of Solace and its numerous problems, it could be argued that Judi Dench was one of the elements that still worked. Cutting her was always going to be, if not controversial, a difficult sell for the series. That said, many fans welcomed the return of the original Bond MI6 setup of Moneypenny and a male M. But it seems even the studio and producers were aware of the monumental decision they had made, making sure to break the news to Dench “gently” according to the actress, who went on to say in a 2014 interview that she “laughed through [her] tears” after learning of her character’s fate. Despite her sadness at being given the axe, the then 77-year-old even thought “MI6 would have given her the push by now”.

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Link Source : https://screenrant.com/james-bond-judi-dench-m-death-reason-explained/

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