Rami Malek will be a supervillain facing off against James Bond next year in the 25th installment of the Bond franchise, No Time to Die. The film officially wrapped this month and will mark the end of an era for Daniel Craig as the famed super spy. Following his turns in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre, No Time to Die will be Craig's fifth go-around as the character and, unfortunately, his last.
Bringing together this production was not an easy process, either. No Time to Die's original director, Danny Boyle, dropped out last year due to creative differences with the studio, which then led to a re-write of the script. Not long after, Cary Joji Fukunaga took over as director and the production finally began to smooth out. Emmy-winning screenwriter and actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge was also brought on to help punch up the women's roles in the script, at the request of Craig himself, and apparently did such a wonderful job that the producers are hoping to recruit her to write Bond 26. It's clear that, despite a rough production, the producers are elated with how No Time to Die has turned out. Now, fans can learn a little more about who exactly will be squaring off against Bond this time around.
During an interview with Empire for their upcoming 2020 Preview Issue, one of No Time to Die's producers, Barbara Broccoli, opened up about Malek and what to expect from his villainous character in the film. She teased that they've really "thrown the book at him on this one," and that he is "really the supervillain." She went on to add that Malek's character is the one "that really gets under Bond's skin. He's a nasty piece of work."
In the past, Craig's Bond has faced off against some unforgettable villains. Previously, Mads Mikkelsen, Mathieu Amalric, Javier Bardem, and Christoph Waltz have all stepped into the villain role in past Bond films with Craig, leaving behind some bigs shoes to fill with each performance. But, considering Broccoli's praise already for Malek's character Safin, it looks like he's up to the task and ready to bring something new and exciting to the pantheon of Bond villains. Not to mention, a previously released image of Craig's Bond all bloodied and bruised proves that Safin is an antagonist who clearly isn't messing around.
Not much else is known about Safin, as the film's synopsis never really dives into who exactly Bond is facing. Instead, it states that he's facing a villain with a dangerous new technology, which is definitely enough to keep fans on their toes for now until a trailer is officially released. Not to mention, considering Broccoli's praise towards Malek's performance as the character, it's clear that he's giving this role his all to make Craig's final Bond film a thrilling one. The entire cast and crew have really done their best in order to make for a thrilling final outing for Craig, and with that kind of excitement and dedication in mind, it's sure to be a good time when it hits theaters next year.
Source: Empire
