One of Hollywood's most iconic movie franchises may have just found the villain for its latest installment.
The Daily Mail reported that Austrian actor Christoph Waltz will be playing a "significant" role in the yet-to-be-titled Bond film that will begin shooting in December.
"It's not immediately evident whether the part's friend, or foe, or a bit of both,' said a source with knowledge on the film.
The 58-year-old has shown that he is more than capable of playing the role of the "bad guy" following his portrayal of a Nazi officer in 2009's "Inglorious Basterds," a role he won his first Oscar for, recalled NY Daily News.
Another source associated with production told the publication that the character role he'd be playing is "extremely cunning," adding that he would be "A nemesis of sorts."
The film is being directed by Sam Mendes, the same one who was at the helm of 2012's "Skyfall." Mendes will be directing Daniel Craig, set to reprise the title role, Ralph Fiennes, returning as "M," while Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris will take on the role of "Q" and "Moneypenny."
No plot details have been revealed but Total Film was of the opinion that "Waltz feels like a good fit for a traditional Bond villain, so hopefully we'll get official confirmation on this sooner rather than later."
In an interview on The Charlie Rose Show, director Mendes spoke about his reluctance to return to the iconic franchise following "Skyfall":
"I started a number of stories that were incomplete. I cast a new M, I cast a new Moneypenny, I cast a new Q, I cast a new Tanner. There was a missing piece now. I felt like there was a way to create the second part of a two-part story. And then I started to get really interested again, when they agreed to wait a little longer and not go immediately and not go with two movies but with one, which I felt very strongly about."
There are rumors that Mendes is returning for "Bond 24" as well as "Bond 25" but as of now, the director has only been confirmed for a one-time return.
Online time will tell if Mendes will be making a trilogy with the franchise or splitting with two films under his belt.
Catch the untitled "Bond 24" when it hits theaters in 2015.
