Why Rami Malek is the most exciting part of Bond 25

There’s a lot of speculation going around about who Rami Malek’s Bond villain really is, but what has been the reaction so far about Malek from the unveiled trailer and poster?

Rami Malek hasn’t made a bad step yet in his high-profile career. He’s already won an Emmy for his intense role on Mr. Robot. He followed that up with an Oscar for his peerless performance as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody (not to mention his Golden Globe). And if that wasn’t enough pressure, he’s set to debut as the next James Bond villain in No Time to Die, the last 007 outing for Daniel Craig. Will it be three times a charm for the mega-talented actor?

When the announcement was made about Malek as the latest nemesis for 007, excitement started building. Thanks to the trailer, we’ve now seen footage of him in the role, and the revelation was met with even greater enthusiasm.

Fans took to Twitter to express how excited they are to see Malek take on the role:

The 38-year-old actor has excelled at playing empathetic characters, and it will be a challenge to watch him take on a villainous role such as Safin. But the gifted performer never disappoints, and Malek talked about the emotional impact his character will have in the new Bond film.

"“It’s a very fine line because you want to make it a very memorable character,” Malek said , according to The Express. “But at the same time, you don’t want it to be a caricature.”Talking about the Bond 25 film: “I think it’s nice to let everybody come in this one and know that, one, they’re going to see something that is thrilling, action-packed.“But I think this one might be a bit more emotional.”"

Of course, once the trailer hit the internet, Bond fans were quick to probe deeper into Malek’s role. A popular theory has taken root that Safin is really Dr. No, perhaps the most famous of all the Bond villains. If this is true, it’s a very clever way of bringing the last Bond film full circle to the first one. There are several reasons fans have latched onto this theory, with much of it making a lot of sense. Sure, Dr. No seemingly was killed by Sean Connery’s Bond by falling into a nuclear reactor pool. But hey, if you don’t see a body, don’t assume.

Here’s a list of all the parallels that corroborate what might not seem such a wild notion:

• Sets between the two movies are very similar, as a Reddit user pointed out, according to The Telegraph. Malek looks like he’s in the same place where Connery famously fought No in that final scene of Dr. No’s.
• The movie is set in Jamaica, the same place where Dr. No’s hideout was.
•  “History isn’t kind to men who play God,” says Craig’s Bond to Malek’s Safin in the trailer. The Reddit user also pointed out that this is eerily analogous to Connery’s line toDr.  No, “World domination — same old dream. Our asylums are full of people who think they’re Napoleon. Or God.”
• But also, the hands! Dr. No famously had his hands chopped off by the Chinese crime organization Tongs and kept his metal hands camouflaged in black gloves. Malek is also wearing black gloves in the scene where he’s holding a gun while on top of an icy lake.
• Joseph Wiseman — who played Dr. No — and Malek bear a physical likeness: short, dark hair, and similar facial features.
• The outfit worn by Malek in the reveal poster looks a lot like the kimono-type garb that Dr. No wore.
• Craig’s previous Bond film, Spectre, could have been leading up to this, since Dr. No worked for them.

But mostly, the biggest clue can be found right there in the title: No Time to Die, which theorists have pointed out really translates to, “No, Time to Die.” Maybe this time, Bond will make sure that he defeats his great nemesis for good.

There’s a lot to be excited about in this final installment of Craig’s. For me, much of what’s got me psyched for Bond 25 has a lot to do with Malek.

No Time to Die hits theaters on April 2. Are you excited to see Rami Malek take on a villainous role?