Oscar-nominated actor Chiwetel Ejiofor may be tackling dark material again if sources that he has been tapped as a villain in the James Bond franchise are true.
Casting is said to be heating up for the film’s next installment with the actor as the front-runner for Bond’s arch nemesis if scheduling conflicts and contract details are ironed out. Sources close to MGM and Sony studio execs say that Ejiofor is definitely a top runner. If rumors are confirmed, he would follow in the footsteps of Oscar-nominated Javier Bardem, who played Raoul Silva in the latest Bond installment.
His performance as Solomon Northup in 12 Years A Slave increased the British actor’s popularity in America. Landing the coveted role as a Bond villain, could make him an international star. The franchise’s last film Skyfall raked in over $1B at the box office and earned Adele an Oscar for the film’s title song.
The actor has been staying busy after wrapping up an incredible awards season, including winning the best international actor award over the weekend at the Irish Academy Awards. He is filming Z for Zachariah and is attached to Triple Nine.
Official casting should be announced soon as production of the film is slated to start over the summer to meet the November 6, 2015 release date. Daniel Craig is set to return as Bond with Naomie Harris returning as MoneyPenny.