Los Angeles, Sep 29 (IANS): Actor Ben Whishaw says the 'James Bond' spy movie franchise will need a drastic change to move it forward.

"If they want to continue with this character and the franchise, I think you can explode it and do anything," Whishaw, who plays 'Q' for the third time in the latest instalment, says on this week's episode of the 'Just for Variety' podcast.

"I don't know what that should be, but it seems to me like it should be something quite radical, something really different. It's got to change; it's got to keep changing. We're in different times now." He knows that won't be an easy task.

"There will always be people who want it to stick to the way it was whenever ago, and they're important, because they love these films," he says.

Whishaw added: "But I think you can do both. You can honour the character and the tradition, and you can push it forward, too. And I think you have to, if it's not just going to become a kind of museum piece."

Whishaw says he's relieved the studio insisted the film be exclusively released in theatres.

"I'm happy for any film that gets a release at the cinema, but I think particularly something like this," he says. "It's not meant to be watched at home. It's just something about the scale, the majesty, the whole experience of it."

'No Time to Die' hits theatres in the US on October 8 after having its world premiere on Tuesday in London.