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Judi Dench reveals that Daniel Craig campaigned for her death in James Bond
Judi Dench says Daniel Craig proposed that her character, M, be killed off in the James Bond films. Her account sheds light on how the franchise ended her long-running role and on her own desire to appear beyond M’s office.
In her memoir, Dench recalls being told the plot at a restaurant by producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson and director Sam Mendes; she says Craig was apparently not there. M was killed in *Skyfall*, after Dench had played her across eight Bond films, and she says she did not cry when told she was being replaced. She describes the role as twenty “glorious” years and notes that she appeared in one more Bond film than Roger Moore.
In short
- Dench says Craig suggested killing off M.
- She played the role in eight Bond films.
- Dench says she did not cry when replaced.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Killing M in Skyfall gave the film a consequential emotional stake and showed that even a long-serving authority figure was not beyond danger. Craig may have believed her death would strengthen the story and give the franchise a meaningful turning point, while Dench’s memoir presents the decision as professionally accepted and her time in the role as a source of pride.
The case against
M’s death ended a distinctive, much-loved performance after eight films, and the story could have found dramatic stakes without removing Dench from the franchise. If Craig did advocate for the character’s death, fans may reasonably regret that his preferred direction prevailed over opportunities to keep her involved in a different capacity.
Explained simply
James Bond is a long-running British spy film series centred on the fictional agent 007. Judi Dench played M, the senior intelligence official who oversees Bond, in eight films from 1995 to 2012.
Daniel Craig played Bond in five films, including Skyfall, directed by Sam Mendes. Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have guided the series for many years, with major decisions about its stories and cast made by the filmmakers.
M’s death in Skyfall brought Dench’s time in the role to an end. Her account offers background on how that story decision was discussed and on her experience of playing a character usually seen in an office setting.
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