12 Things You Learn Rewatching Casino Royale

9. Judi Dench's Casting Is Weird...But Worth It

The decision to have Judi Dench return to play M was a bit of a weird one, considering that Casino Royale was mounted as something of a franchise reboot.

After all, Dench is a relic of the Brosnan years, and her appearance here caused some mild confusion to more casual audiences, some of whom assumed the film was merely the typical soft reset we get every time a new Bond joins the fray.

It's ultimately worth the weirdness, though, because Dench is so damn fantastic in the role, and her screen chemistry with Craig ultimately surpasses the strong patter she already shared with Brosnan.

This is especially true later in Craig's tenure, but even here, having such an electric dynamic between the two makes the wishy-washy nature of it all very much worthwhile.