Dame Judi Dench has revealed that Daniel Craig apparently wanted her iconic James Bond character, M, killed off in Skyfall. But it is another part of her recollection that has caught attention: her blunt, one-word description of the man who effectively replaced her. The actress delivers the story with her familiar dry humour, while also correcting reports that she was devastated when told her character would die.
What’s actually true about Judi Dench and Daniel Craig?
The story comes from Dench’s new memoir, Is It Too Late to Make a Run For It?, published in November 2026 and written in conversation with actor and director Brendan O’Hea.
In an excerpt published by Variety, the 91-year-old actress reflects on her years playing M, the head of the British intelligence service in the James Bond films.
Dench recalls being invited to The Wolseley restaurant in London by Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, alongside director Sam Mendes. They explained that M would be killed in the forthcoming film.
According to Dench, Daniel Craig was apparently behind the suggestion.
She recalled: “Apparently, it was Daniel’s idea to have me killed.”
However, the headline needs an important clarification. The one-word insult, “Arsehole”, was directed at Ralph Fiennes in connection with his character taking over from M, not at Daniel Craig.
Dench’s account was delivered jokingly, rather than as an expression of a serious personal dispute.
Why was M killed in Skyfall?
Dench first appeared as M in GoldenEye (1995), during Pierce Brosnan’s time as James Bond. She continued into Craig’s era, becoming one of the franchise’s most recognisable supporting characters.
Her death in Skyfall (2012) was a significant moment because it gave the character a more personal ending. Rather than remaining behind her desk issuing instructions, M became directly involved in the danger surrounding Bond and the investigation into former MI6 agent Raoul Silva.
Dench also revealed an amusing reason she welcomed more action. She had spent years asking filmmakers to let her leave M’s office and participate in scenes away from her desk.
Her wish was eventually granted, although the outcome was hardly what she might have imagined.
The film introduced Ralph Fiennes as Gareth Mallory, who subsequently took over the position of M. Dench joked about the indignity of being dismissed by his character before her death.
How this connects to the future of James Bond
Dench’s revelation offers an interesting glimpse into how the Bond franchise changed under Craig.
Earlier Bond films generally treated each adventure as a relatively self-contained story. Craig’s films placed greater emphasis on character development, personal consequences and continuity between instalments.
Killing M in Skyfall helped establish that even familiar characters were not necessarily protected from major changes.
Craig’s own Bond eventually met a similarly dramatic fate in No Time to Die (2021). His death marked a significant departure from the traditional approach, in which the character typically returned for another adventure.
For audiences, this raises an interesting question about the next generation of Bond films: will future filmmakers continue with emotionally connected storytelling, or return to a more traditional standalone format?
That remains a creative decision for the franchise’s producers, rather than something established by Dench’s memoir.
Common misconceptions about Judi Dench’s Bond departure
There are several details worth separating from the headlines.
- Dench was not reportedly heartbroken: She explicitly rejected reports that she cried when informed about M’s death.
- Craig did not personally announce the decision: Dench recalls being told by the producers and director Sam Mendes. She says she does not think Craig attended the meeting.
- The one-word insult was not aimed at Craig: Her “Arsehole” remark followed her reference to Ralph Fiennes taking over as M. It was part of her humorous recollection.
- Skyfall was not her final appearance: Dench returned briefly through archive footage in Spectre (2015).
She also explained that she has never watched the completed Spectre, joking that she was still sulking because the filmmakers had killed off her character.
What readers should know next?
For anyone interested in Dench’s story, her memoir provides a more personal account of the actress behind one of the franchise’s most recognisable characters.
There are three useful ways to explore the story further:
- Read the memoir: Is It Too Late to Make a Run For It? offers Dench’s recollections of her career and Bond experiences.
- Revisit the films: Watching GoldenEye, Casino Royale and Skyfall shows how her portrayal of M evolved across different Bond eras.
- Look out for official Bond announcements: Future casting and production developments should be checked through the official James Bond website rather than relying on social media speculation.
The bottom line
Judi Dench’s latest comments reveal that Daniel Craig apparently suggested killing off her character in Skyfall. Her one-word insult, however, was part of a separate joke about Ralph Fiennes taking over as M.
Far from describing a bitter falling-out, the story reveals Dench’s ability to look back on a major career moment with humour. After eight Bond films and two decades as M, she clearly has plenty of stories left to tell.