This could be a good thing for his career if it actually happens, since it will probably be the highest profile role he’s ever played. 12 Years A Slave was big, but James Bond is 10 times as big, with a global audience.
According to Variety, Chiwetel Ejiofor is MGM and Sony’s top choice to play the villain in the next installment of the James Bond franchise.
No agreements have been signed yet, but sources say that he is definitely the front-runner for the job; although neither MGM nor Sony are talking.
One can only imagine who this villain will be, after the eccentric bad guy Javier Bardem played in the last 007 movie, Skyfall. Let’s hope it’s not a reboot of Dr. Kananga (the main antagonist in Live and Let Die – a corrupt Prime Minister from the Caribbean who doubles as a drug lord, played by Yaphet Kotto). It’s not often that the villain in James Bond films is black.
Serenity is maybe the only time he’s played anything close to a villain on screen.
Also no word yet on what the plot will be.
Ejiofor would of course be going up against Daniel Craig who will be returning as Bond, as well as Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, and Ben Whishaw all set to return as well in their respective roles.
Sam Mendes, who helmed the last Bond movie, will again direct.
Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson will produce with John Logan penning the script.
Production is set to begin this summer, for a November 6, 2015 release.
The busy Ejiofor is currently shooting Z For Zachariah, and is also attached to John Hillcoat’s Triple Nine.
