Bohemian Rhapsody’s Rami Malek confirmed as Bond 25 villain

Daniel Craig in SPECTRE

Bohemian Rhapsody Oscar-winner Rami Malek has been officially announced as the villain in the as-yet untitled James Bond 25, confirming widespread rumours. Sending a video message to a launch event in the beautiful surroundings of Goldeneye, Bond creator Ian Fleming’s Jamaica home, Malek told the world: “I promise you all I will be making sure Mr Bond does not have an easy ride of it in this, his 25th outing.” Daniel Craig must be shaking into his vodka martini...

Other newcomers to Bond’s world include Ana de Armas (Blade Runner 2049), Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel), David Dencik (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Billy Magnussen (Velvet Buzzsaw). Regular 007 associates Ralph Fiennes (M), Naomie Harris (Moneypenny), Ben Whishaw (Q), Rory Kinnear (Tanner) and Jeffrey Wright (Felix Leiter) are also back for the movie, scripted by Bond veterans Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, along with Scott Burns (The Bourne Ultimatum) and Fleabag/Killing Eve legend Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Maniac’s Cary Fukunaga directs.

There’s also a return for Léa Seydoux, whose Madeleine Swann was last seen walking into the, er, sunset with Bond at the end of SPECTRE. Executive producer Barbara Broccoli confirmed that “Bond is not on active service when we start the film, he is actually enjoying himself in Jamaica. So he starts his journey here”, so it wouldn’t be a massive stretch of the imagination to assume he’s enjoying some R&R with Swann when the movie kicks off. Fingers crossed their holiday doesn’t end badly…

Alas, we’ll have to wait a bit longer for a title to a movie that will shoot in Jamaica, London, Norway and Italy.

Richard is a freelancer journalist and editor, and was once a physicist. Rich is the former editor of SFX Magazine, but has since gone freelance, writing for websites and publications including GamesRadar+, SFX, Total Film, and more. He also co-hosts the podcast, Robby the Robot's Waiting, which is focused on sci-fi and fantasy.