Sony and MGM are reportedly eyeing Academy Award nominated Chiwetel Ejiofor to be the next Bond villain.
According to sources who talked with Variety, there is currently no deal in place and it isn't even know yet if Ejiofor is available. Still, the sources note that Ejiofor is the leading choice to antagonize Daniel Craig's James Bond in the next film.
Hitfix reports that if Ejiofor hops onto the project, he will be the second straight villain to be an Oscar nominee, following in the footsteps of Javier Bardem. The actor is also coming off a successful starring role in 12 Years A Slave.
He's also played a villain before, both in Four Brothers and in Children of Men. Currently he's working on Z For Zachariah, which also stars Chris Pine. Ejiofor is also attached to Triple Nine.
Sam Mendes, who directed Skyfall is set to direct based off a script by scribe John Logan. The main cast of Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris and Ben Whishaw are also all on board to return.
No plot details have been revealed yet, but the film is scheduled to hit theaters on Nov. 6, 2015 and will likely start production in the summer.