Rami Malek Refused to Play ‘Bond 25’ Villain if His Motivations Were Ideologically or Religiously Oriented

According to an interview between recent Academy Award winner/Bohemian Rhapsody star Rami Malek and the UK tabloid publication The Daily Mirror, Malek made sure to ask the untitled Bond 25 director, Cary Fukunaga that his character have no religious or ideological affiliation that was his motive. He said went as far as to tell Fukanaga to “count me out” if his character were to have a religious background influencing his character’s terrorist behavior. Fortunately, Fukunaga had other intentions for the character’s motives, so much so that Malek calls his character “a different kind of terrorist.” Now, Malek says he is excited to play this villain because “[he’s] a great character.”

This will be Fukanaga’s first Bond film, but his name has previously been attached to successful films like 2010’s Jane Erye and 2015’s Beasts of No Nation. He also directed episodes of the HBO television series True Detective and the Netflix series Maniac, starring Emma Stone and Jonah Hill. Bond 25 will see Daniel Craig return for his fifth portrayal of the iconic James Bond character, as well as Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, and Léa Seydoux, all of whom are reprising their roles from the previous Bond film, Spectre (2015).

The film’s United States release date is currently set for March 17, 2020, whereas its international release date will be April 3, 2020.