Whishaw, who appeared in BBC One’s The Hour and will play Richard II in a new BBC TV movie, previously starred as Sebastian Flyte in Brideshead Revisited.
Skyfall, the third of the rebooted Bond series, stars Daniel Craig and Dame Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe, Ralph Fiennes and Albert Finney.
Directed by Sam Mendes, the film sees Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her.
As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.
Skyfall is scheduled to arrive in UK and Irish cinemas on October 26th 2012. North America fans will be able to see it from November 9th 2012.