WARNING: "Spectre" spoilers below
One of the reasons that "Skyfall" was such a massive success was because it wasn't just a good James Bond movie; it was a good movie, period. "Spectre," on the other hand, felt formulaic, underwritten and rushed. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't very memorable, either. Arguably the film's biggest misstep was the mishandling of Christoph Waltz's Ernst Stavro Blofeld, an iconic villain from James Bond lore. While Waltz's character was left alive at the conclusion of "Spectre," it's unknown if he'll return in future films. The actor is open to the idea, but only if certain requirements are met.
Several UK tabloids are reporting that Waltz will only return as Blofeld if Daniel Craig returns as James Bond. The reports cite the actor's desire for "continuity" as the main reason, though that has never been the franchise's strong suit. But if you ask us, Waltz, a two-time Academy Award winner, should be demanding more screen time and a less predictable plot from whoever takes over for Sam Mendes as director.
But if you're a lifelong Bond fan, you know that 007 and Blofeld have an extensive and complicated history together. This background was made even clearer during "Spectre," so retaining both actors makes a lot of sense. However, it's still unknown what the future holds for Craig's Bond.
In the lead-up to "Spectre," Craig made several conflicting comments about his desire to return to the role. He's expressed both apprehension about continuing and voiced optimistic support of the role; it's all very confusing to us Bond followers. As such, several British actors have been mentioned as potential replacements.
Even if Craig does decide to hang up the Beretta, Waltz can continue in his role. Throughout the Bond franchise, a handful of actors have portrayed the villain, including Donald Pleasance in "You Only Live Twice" and Telly Savalas in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service." Roger Moore's Bond even killed Blofeld in the 1970s during "For Your Eyes Only."
Should fans expect a return for either actor? That remains to be seen. In the meantime, we'll keep you abreast of any relevant updates.
