As is the case with each passing Bond film, the two archetypal roles that draw the most attention in the build-up to release are the Bond Girl and the overarching villain. We’ve learned that Sam Mendes wants to put 007 through his paces in Bond 24 by casting a memorable, physically imposing baddie, and it looks as though the director may very well have found someone to fill the role already.
According to rumour mongers and all-round Internet sleuths Latino Review, Dave Bautista has entered talks to star in Mendes’ upcoming film, with the Guardians of the Galaxy star on board to play henchman-cum-assassin, Hinx (at least, that’s the purported codename at this stage).
Much like the Léa Seydoux casting rumor from a few days ago, this Bond-related tidbit is yet to be formally confirmed by EON, though Latino Review have a relatively solid record when it comes to pinpointing the latest cast lists. Besides, at 6ft 4in, Bautista fits the bill as a physically imposing baddie, and given his eye-catching performance in this year’s Guardians, with the right script, the wrestling star could be the iconic henchman that Mendes so desires for Bond 24.
To recap, here’s the report from August that seemed to outline the villain’s hulking characteristics for Bond 24:
“Whoever wins the role,” reported MI-6 in the initial rumor, “will have several altercations with Daniel Craig’s 007 throughout the film and also a driving sequence. Former sports athletes will be under consideration along with anyone ‘very unusual’… The goal is to find the next Jaws or Oddjob – a henchman so different to anything that has gone before that they will become instantly iconic in the film series.”
Though it’s still without an official title, 007 fans can expect Bond 24 to hit theaters on October 23rd, 2015. Tell us, would you like to see Bautista embody the role of the big bad in Mendes’ film? Let us know below.
