No Time To Die: Rami Malek’s Bond Villain Sneaks Around In New Image
A brand new image from the new Bond film, No Time To Die, shows Rami Malek's mysterious villain looking creepy behind a glass door. Malek appears in the 25th Bond film as a character named Safin, who, in previous images, seems to have scars that cover part of his face and jaw. Directed by Cari Joji Fukunaga, No Time To Die was initially set to be released in April, but was delayed to November 20 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Starring Daniel Craig in his final outing as the iconic British spy, No Time To Die will provide a definitive end for Bond as played by Craig. Little detail about the movie has been revealed, with only a few rumors slipping out. There are reports that one of the characters that will be introduced is Bond's daughter, paving the way for a potential new series focusing on her. As for Malek's villain, little is known about him, though rumors have said that he is actually playing the classic Bond villain, Dr. No. However, the most recent No Time to Die trailer seems to debunk Malek playing Dr. No. Nevertheless, it's clear that Malek's villain is meant to be the greatest threat Craig's Bond has faced.
Now, a new image from Empire shows Malek's Safin sneaking around and generally looking up to no good behind a glass door. The creepy villain is shown reaching for a door handle, wearing the mask and white coat seen in previously No Time to Die trailers and images. What makes the image even more unsettling is the fact that the rippled glass obscures his figure and makes him seem almost inhuman. You can see the full image below.
Whether Malek is playing Dr. No or not, it's clear that Safin has the traits of a classic Bond villain. He's got the facial disfigurement common to many Bond villains, and his taste in clothes runs to the theatrical, another hallmark of the Bond series. This image also reiterates that he could be a fairly creepy villain, likely a deliberate choice in order to make his character seem even more mysterious.
Malek, who won an Academy Award for playing Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, will have a lot to live up to as the latest Bond villain. More than almost any other franchise, Bond fans relish a good old-fashioned scene-stealing bad guy. While the villains Craig's Bond era has been a mixed bag, he has faced up to a few classic names. Casino Royale's Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) and Spectre's Blofeld (Christoph Waltz), who appears in No Time To Die in an apparent side role, were drawn straight from the classic roster of Bond villains created by author Ian Fleming.
Hopefully, Malek can provide a nemesis befitting Craig's last outing as Bond. It would be satisfying for fans to see the actor, who has been in the role for over a decade across five films, to come up against a truly worth adversary to sign off his tenure. We will have to wait until November to see just how effective Malek is as Safin in No Time To Die.
Source: Empire