Judi Dench the updated Walt Disney World Epcot attraction Spaceship Earth in February 2008. The same month, she was named as the first official patron of the York Youth Mysteries 2008, a project to allow young people to explore the York Mystery Plays through dance, film-making and circus. Her only film of 2008 was Marc Forster's "Quantum of Solace", the twenty-second Eon-produced James Bond film, in which she reprised her role as M along with Daniel Craig. A direct sequel to the 2006 film "Casino Royale", Forster felt Dench was underused in the previous films, and wanted to make her part bigger,
Judi Dench received an honorary DLitt degree from Durham University. On 24 June 2008, she was honoured by the University of St Andrews, receiving an honorary DLitt degree at the university's graduation ceremony. On 26 June 2013, she was honoured by the University of Stirling, receiving an honorary doctorate at the university's graduation ceremony in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the Arts, particularly to film. In March 2013, Dench was listed as one of the fifty best-dressed over 50s by "The Guardian". One of the highest-profile actresses in British popular culture, Dench appeared on Debrett's 2017 list of the most influential