Rami Malek is reportedly in talks to play Daniel Craig’s nemesis in the upcoming Bond 25 film.
The Oscar-winning actor is said to be in final negotiations to play the main villain after his filming schedules for TV show Mr Robot were amended to make it possible, according to Collider.
Character details are under wraps, but the publication reports the as-of-yet unnamed character could be blind.
Malek previously revealed he would “absolutely” say yes to playing a villain, but said he was keeping “tight-lipped” when grilled on the prospect earlier this year.
“We’ll have to see about that,” he told Entertainment Tonight of the rumours.
“It would be nice to play a villain, that would be an actor’s dream, another dream role for me.
“I’ve got to play so many great ones so far and who knows. I’m keeping tight-lipped.”
Cary Joji Fukunaga will direct the upcoming instalment which is expected to be Craig’s last outing as 007.
The American director took over from Danny Boyle after he parted ways over “creative differences,” three months before production was due to start.
Shatterhand is thought to be the title for the next film after trade magazine Production Weekly featured a listing for “Bond 25 w/t Shatterhand” in its February 21 newsletter.
It refers to an alias used by supervillain Ernst Stavro Blofeld in Ian Fleming’s 1964 novel You Only Live Twice.
Production will start on April 6 with the film slated for release in April 2020 after getting pushed back from late 2019 and then February 2020.
Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson are producing.
Standard Online has contacted representatives for Malek for comment.
