Q (James Bond) Q (James Bond) Q is a fictional character in the James Bond films and film novelisations. Q (standing for Quartermaster as well as a reference to the deceptive Q-ships) is a job title, unlike M, which is a cypher for the character's name. He is the head of Q Branch (or later Q Division), the fictional research and development division of the British Secret Service. Q has appeared in 21 of the 24 Eon Productions James Bond films, the exceptions being "Live and Let Die", the 2006 "Casino Royale" and "Quantum of Solace". The character was also featured in both
James Bond in film of the funding for the Bond films, fell into financial difficulties following the box office failure of "Heaven's Gate" (1980), bringing uncertainty to the future of the funding. The situation was resolved in May 1981, when Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquired United Artists. Following "For Your Eyes Only", Roger Moore had expressed a desire to stop playing James Bond. His original contract had been for three films, a requirement fulfilled with "The Spy Who Loved Me". Subsequent films had been negotiated on a film-by-film basis. The producers engaged in a semi-public quest for the next actor to play Bond, which would be for