It may have taken a while to get to this point, but we are going to get Bond 25. Daniel Craig returns to play the suave British spy one last time. However, he has yet to find out what his next mission will be.

Plot details have remained under wraps, but we now know who 007 might have to face this time around. According to new reports, recent Academy Award-winner Rami Malek could be playing the villain. More on the report below.

Variety first reported that Malek was being considered for Bond 25. Collider then reported that the actor is in final negotiations to play the villain. But the reason why it has taken so long to finalize the deals is because Malek was busy with the final season of USA’s Mr. Robot. Sources tell the site that a deal between WME – Malek’s agency – and EON is being worked out so that they could accommodate the actor’s schedule. Of course, another reason for the delay is that both wanted to see if he would win the Oscar – which he did – which would raise his stock.

Details on the villain are still unconfirmed. However, Said Taghmaoui (Wonder Woman), who was considered for the role, tells Collider that the villain is of North African decent. Additionally, he is blind. And as stated in his acceptance speech, Malek is Egyptian. Not only that, but sources tell the site that Lupita Nyong’o is also being considered for a role in the upcoming film. Though, it’s unclear if she has any interest. Still, if this is going to be Craig’s swan song as Bond, then they might as well stack it with a great cast.

And speaking of great casts, there are other Bond 25 casting reports that are worth mentioning.

Variety’s sources say that Game Night actor Billy Magnussen is in talks to play as a U.S. agent in the film. According to their reports, he would be similar to Felix Leiter (Jeffery Wright), who appeared in Casino Royale and Quantum Of Solace. And it’s something that could work out for Magnussen, considering that he has already worked with director Cary Joji Fukunaga. The actor appeared in Fukunaga’s Maniac, which you can see on Netflix.

All that’s left that needs to be worked out are the female leads. In the same report, Variety says chemistry reads with Craig are being worked out now. But it’s not clear how far along in the casting process EON is in. But this may relate to the role that Nyong’o is reportedly being considered for.

Lea Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, and Ben Whishaw will all return to reprise their respective roles.

Filming for Bond 25 is set to begin later this March for a April 8, 2020 release.

[Source: Collider | Variety]