Actor Rami Malek had a few conditions in mind when he agreed to play a terrorist in the upcoming film 'Bond 25'.
The Oscar-winning actor seemed to know that his character would be some sort of terrorist, but for Malek, it was crucial that his evil ways were not linked to a certain religion or ideology, reported Entertainment Weekly.
Before signing the film, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' star wanted a guarantee from the director of the film, Cary Fukunaga that his character wouldn't be a religious fundamentalist, reported Daily Mirror, as cited by Entertainment Weekly.
"It's a great character and I'm very excited. But that was one thing I discussed with Cary. I said, 'We cannot identify him with any act of terrorism reflecting an ideology or a religion. That's not something I would entertain, so if that is why I am your choice then you can count me out," Malek said.
Luckily for the actor, Fukunaga had something totally different in mind, allowing the star to take the role with no qualms.
"That was clearly not his vision. So he's a very different kind of terrorist," he said.
Malek also spoke about the responsibility he felt about playing a Bond villain.
"It's another extremely clever script from the people who have figured out exactly what people want in those movies. But I feel a substantial weight on my shoulders. I mean, Bond is something that we all grow up with," the actor added.
According to the film's official plot summary, Malek's character is "a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology."
Malek confirmed that he will be playing the villain in the movie in April with a video shared to the franchise's official Twitter account.
"I promise you all that I will be making sure Mr. Bond does not have an easy ride of it in this, his 25th outing," the actor said in the clip.
He's set to star opposite Del Craig, who is returning as the suave spy in what is rumoured to be his last time in the role.
Filming kicked off in March, but Craig underwent minor ankle surgery in May after injuring himself while filming for the movie in Jamaica. He returned to the sets of the film last weekend and was spotted filming scenes in London.
The full star cast of the new film was revealed in April as the production officially began. New additions include Ana De Armas, Lashana Lynch, David Dencik, Billy Magnussen, and Dali Benssalah. Returning cast members include Lea Seydoux, Jeffrey Wright, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Naomi Harris, and Ralph Fiennes.
The film revolves around Bond, whose peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter [Wright] from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be tough, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous technology.
The next Bond movie, currently known as 'Bond 25' because it marks the franchise's 25th installment, is slated to hit the big screens on April 8, 2020.
( With inputs from ANI )