Earlier this month, CommanderBond.net reported that Fox News’ FOX411 column was claiming French actor Mathieu Amalric had been cast as the villain in next year’s Bond 22.

Mathieu Amalric

According to that report, columnist Roger Friedman said that despite no confirmation from Amalri himself, ‘that was the word’ at a lunch that week for Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon (The Diving Bell And The Butterfly), in which Amalric stars. Friedman went on to say: ‘Anyway, expect a formal announcement shortly. This is a done deal.’

This past weekend, French James Bond website JamesBond-fr.com telephoned Mathieu Amalric to try and get some further information on this possible casting news.

When asked about the Bond 22 villain report, Amalric responded : ‘Ah, one will see… they will say it, but I cannot say. You know, cinema is complicated…’

While Amalric neither confirms nor denies the rumour, it certainly sounds like this will be a very interesting bit of Bond 22 news to keep an eye on…

As previously reported on CBn, if cast in the film, it is a possibility that Amalric would be playing the French-Algerian boyfriend of Casino Royale’s Vesper Lynd (as originally revealed by Eva Green as the plan and something that screenwriter Paul Haggis coyly refused to deny). Amalric’s nationality adds a further bit of credibility to this notion.

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page. We’ll keep you updated with all the latest news and details on Bond 22.