Christoph Waltz is 'back as Blofeld' for 'Bond 25'
It sounds like Christoph Waltz is back to reprise his role as Franz Oberhauser, aka Ernst Stavro Blofeld, for Bond 25, according an eye witness report.
The German actor was spotted by a visitor on the movie's set at Pinewood Studios outside London, where he is said to be shooting scenes.
The scoop comes from the Daily Mail's veteran showbiz reporter Baz Bamigboye, who has broken dozens of Bond stories in the past.
When Waltz realised he'd been rumbled, he reportedly said: “You haven't seen me.”
Exclusive:Hello Mr Waltz... we’ve been expecting you.#ChristophWaltz is back as #Blofeld in @007 #Bond25 , shooting scenes at Pinewood studios . When a visitor spotted him , Waltz insisted , “You haven’t seen me.” pic.twitter.com/g1X91cEJbf
— Baz Bamigboye (@BazBam) July 11, 2019
Blofeld, the head of worldwide criminal organisation SPECTRE, was last seen in 2015's Spectre and though his helicopter was shot down by Bond over Westminster Bridge, he survived and was – we assumed – arrested by MI6.
Clearly, he gave them the slip.
Read more: Malek reveals reservations about playing a terrorist in Bond 25
Waltz said back in 2017 that he would not be returning to the fold, telling an Italian movie website: “No, I'm sorry. I'm really sad, but that's the tradition, that there is a new... name. Sorry. I would've liked to."
But interestingly, director Cary Fukunaga failed to deny Blofeld's possible return in an interview last year after he was announced as the movie's new director (following the departure of Danny Boyle).
Read more: Bond 25 hits London
Asked about rumours Blofeld would be back, he told Inquirer.net: “Who is saying those rumours? We haven’t finished the screenplay, so there is no way that anyone could know that.
“Those are two extraordinary actors, so if there is space for them in the story, I would absolutely want them there. But I don’t know yet what it’s going to be.”
We already know that Mr. Robot and Bohemian Rhapsody star Rami Malek is starring as the movie's principle villain, but perhaps Blofeld is the man pulling the strings.
Or maybe Waltz was just passing, and popped in to say ‘hi’ to Barbara Broccoli.
We won't know for sure until the movie, Daniel Craig's last hurrah as 007, arrives on April 3, 2020.