As we work our way into the Thanksgiving holiday here at Cinema Blend, we've been learning a lot about Bond 24, particularly all of the rumors as to who Christoph Waltz is going to be playing in the latest film. Just when we think we've heard it all, more "details" spring out from allegedly well-placed sources that confirm or deny what we've read before. If The Daily Mail's story is any indication though, we might just know who Waltz is playing in Bond 24, provided he's confirmed: a ski instructor.
At least, that's what The Daily Mail has heard in its latest briefings before the traditional press conference that will inaugurate production on Bond 24 next month. More specifically, The Mail reports that Eon productions, which owns the James Bond film franchise, will announce Waltz is "playing an unknown character called Franz Oberhauser, son of the late Hans Oberhauser, a ski instructor who acted as a father figure to Bond."
Sounds harmless enough, doesn't it? Just imagine it: Christoph Waltz slaloms down a Black Diamond hill, only to skid to a stop next to Daniel Craig. Steel in his eyes, Craig looks at Waltz and says, "We need to talk. I believe your father has information on..." -- Actually this doesn't sound anything like a role Christoph Waltz would play, so we'll stop pretending, just like The Daily Mail has. Apparently, this is all a smoke screen for the real intention of casting an actor as esteemed as Christoph Waltz. If the senior sources The Daily Mail has at their disposal are right, we totally called it and Waltz is the new face of Ernst Stavro Blofeld!
Considering Blofeld held court in Switzerland during the course of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Bond 24's plans for shooting in Austria might not be just to double the country of Norway, it might also be a coup to remind fans of perhaps the greatest scuffle between Bond and Blofeld ever. If you're unfamiliar with the bobsled chase between the two arch-nemeses, you can watch it in all of its rear projection glory below.
At the very least, the continued rumbling of Christoph Waltz's involvement with Bond 24 keeps hope alive that EON Productions will confirm his involvement in next month's press conference. Whether they'll stuck to the Oberhauser story, or if they'll come out and say Blofeld's in (if he is indeed in,) is something that will have to wait for confirmation. There's still also an outside chance that Waltz isn't even involved in Bond 24, but if that were the case you'd think that those in charge would either try to quash the rumor or get him on the phone to see if he wants in.
Bond 24 begins production early next month, with a November 6, 2015 release date on the books.
