Almost two years ago, Rami Malek became a bit of a meme thanks to his unintentionally creepy commercial for Mandarin Oriental. The short video features Malek staring at the camera describing things he’s a fan of. What is supposed to be sweet and kind is seen as ominous and almost menacing thanks to Malek’s delivery and his penchant for making his characters seem unstable. We’re not sure what the audition process was for Malek in his quest to become a Bond villain in “No Time To Die,” but the studio probably just had to watch that video to know they had the right guy. And in a new featurette for the upcoming Bond film, Malek once again proves why he’s the perfect actor to make Safin someone that creeps you out.
Over at the official James Bond film YouTube channel, the studio released another peek at the upcoming “No Time to Die,” focusing this time on the villain Safin, as played by the aforementioned Malek. And in the video, the actor explained his inspiration for the character and what he tried to bring to the Bond franchise. Spoiler alert, he wanted to make him “unsettling.”
“What I really wanted from Safin was to make him unsettling,” said Malek “Thinking of himself as being heroic…Safin is a formidable adversary. James Bond has to adapt to him.”
“What he wants and what he’s willing to do makes him a very frightening character, both personally to Bond but also on a global level,” added director Cary Fukunaga.
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While the exact plan Safin hatches in “No Time to Die” is yet to be fully revealed (we’ll likely have to wait until November to learn the details), it’s clear that Safin has a personal connection to Léa Seydoux’s character, Madeleine Swann. And thus, a personal connection to Daniel Craig’s 007. But even still, this isn’t just a vendetta, as Safin’s plan is going to lead to the deaths of millions, making the villain a global threat to humanity.
“No Time To Die” is set to arrive in theaters on November 20. You can watch the full video below.