John Cleese says he would have been happy to reprise his role as Q in the next James Bond film - but his character has been removed from the sequel.

Cleese said: "If I'm told that is there is a Q, I will be Q. But unfortunately, I don't believe there's a Q in the current version of the script."

Martin Campbell, the director of Casino Royale, has dropped the comedian's character because he believes his plans for a serious Bond movie would be undermined by Cleese's humorous inventor role reports IOL.com.

Campbell said: "Casino Royale will be a grittier, tougher and more realistic Bond movie. We'll be getting away from the huge visual effects and comic relief."

Source: Press Release