After a number of months in pre-production it seems like the next film in the James Bond series has finally found its villain.
According to Variety, Chiwetel Ejiofor is the first choice to play the villain in the upcoming 24th film in the franchise. No offer has been made and scheduling would still have to be worked out for the film; the studio had no comment on Ejiofor's alleged casting.
Ejiofor seems like a good choice for the role, especially since the Bond series has been choosing villains of different ethnicities throughout the past three films. Javier Bardem from Spain played the villain in "Skyfall," while Mathiew Amalric from France played the villain in "Quantum of Solace." Meanwhile, Danish actor Mads Mikkelson appeared in "Casino Royale." Ejiofor is from the U.K., but he is also a black actor who recently got his big break in "12 Years a Slave," for which he nominated for the Oscar and won a BAFTA award. A black actor has never been the villain in the franchise and given his recent popularity, he is likely to be met with a favorable fan reaction.
As Variety notes, Ejiofor would also be good for the series because "after Bardem's success as the villain in 'Skyfall,' the team behind the latest film is looking for someone with a similarly interesting persona."
Ejiofor has acted in a number of diverse roles, including villains in films such as "Children of Men" and "Four Brothers." He has also played a number of supporting roles, including in "American Gangster," "2012," "Salt," and "Phil Spector." Ejiofor is also known for his work in TV including the shows "Dancing on the Edge," "Trust," and "The Shadow Line." The actor will next be seen in "Half of a Yellow Sun" and is currently filming "Z for Zachariah" with Chris Pine and Margot Robbie, and he is attached to John Hillcoat's "Triple Nine," which is set to star Aaron Paul and Kate Winslet.
James Bond 24 is currently being written by John Logan; no plot details have been revealed by the studio. It has always been speculated that the villain would be from a different country or ethnicity. A number of actors that have been mentioned include Omar Sy, Matthias Schoenaerts, and Gael Garcia Bernal.
The film will be produced Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, both of who worked on "Skyfall."
The studio plans to start production in the summer in order to meet the picture's release date of Nov. 6, 2015. Casting is currently underway with the studio also looking for a Scandinavian actor and a British woman to play the new Bond girls. Daniel Craig is already set to return as Bond after starring in the last three films, with Ralph Fiennes as M, Ben Whishaw as Q and Naomie Harris as Moneypenny. Meanwhile, Sam Mendes will direct his second Bond feature after the critically-acclaimed "Skyfall." The director will also become the first filmmaker to direct two Bond films.
"Skyfall" was the most successful Bond movie of all time, scoring $304 million at the domestic box office and more than $1 billion worldwide. The film was also a critical hit and was nominated for five Academy Awards.