The actor who will play the villain in Bond 24 has reportedly been unveiled.
According to the Mirror , Sherlock actor Andrew Scott will portray the foe to Daniel Craig’s James Bond in the hugely anticipated 24th installment to the iconic film canon.
Andrew Scott has made a name for himself across the world in BBC’s Sherlock. Scott has played Moriarty, the iconic villain to Sherlock Holmes, in the drama and his career will almost certainly get an extra boost if he is confirmed as the villain in Bond 24 , too.
A source for the above publication has also discussed how Andrew Scott was selected for the film, and it turns out that Bond 24’s director, Sam Mendes, was hugely impressed by his performance in Sherlock.
“Andrew was hand-picked for a role in the new Bond movie after film bosses loved his star turn in Sherlock . Casting directors thought he was perfect to play a baddie and they wanted to use his existing Sherlock profile — and amp it up to the next level.”
“Andrew is hoping the move will see him leap from TV to the big screen, where he can eventually divide his time between London and LA. He knows this is his big break.”
The 38-year-old Irish actor originally starred in Sherlock in 2010, and he is set to return to the program in future installments after Moriarty returned earlier this year.
It has also been speculated that Django Unchained and Inglorious Basterds actor Christoph Waltz might be cast as Bond 24’s villain, too.
Last month, the Inquisitr reported that Waltz would be a “cunning nemesis” but the piece also noted that this didn’t precisely mean that he would be playing a villain in the film.
An insider told the Daily Mail at the time, “just because he has played bad guys in other movies doesn’t mean he’s going to be the baddie here.”
More information including Bond 24’s title and cast is expected to be announced on Thursday. Production on the film is set to proceed at the start of next year.
Alongside Craig, who will be playing James Bond for fourth time in the film, Ralph Fiennes and Naomie Harris will also be returning as M and Moneypenny respectively, while Lea Seydoux and Dave Bautista are rumored to be starring in the film too.
Comic Book have also alleged that the iconic Bond villain Ernst Stavo Blofeld will be returning, and it’s been alleged that is who Waltz will portray. Bond 24 will be released on 2015.