Although we know Daniel Craig is returning as 007 in the next James Bond film, "Bond 25," there are still a number of casting decisions to be made. New reports indicate that casting is heating up and the film's villain may have been found.

Rami Malek is reportedly poised to join the film. Sources tell Collider that the actor is in final talks to play the villain. Producers have been trying to nab Malek for months, according to Variety. He has garned a lot of acclaim in recent years, including an Oscar win for 2018's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and a 2016 Emmy win for "Mr. Robot."

With Malek still starring in "Mr. Robot," scheduling was reportedly an issue. Collider's source said that his team had to negotiate to make "Bond 25" work with his shooting schedule. The show's fourth and final season is slated to premiere later this year.

Billy Magnussen is another actor who may soon be joining the project. Magnussen previously worked with "Bond 25" director Cary Joji Fukunaga on the Netflix series "Maniac." He'd play a CIA operative, per Variety, but so far, it's not clear if he has received an offer.

Meanwhile, there are two female roles that still need to be cast: an MI6 agent and an accomplice. So far, there are no reported front-runners. The producers are still planning to bring actresses to read with Craig, Variety reports.

MGM has not commented on the latest casting news. Production is reportedly on track to start this spring, so we expect deals to be announced in the coming months. The new cast members will join Craig, Léa Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, and Naomie Harris in the film.

The release date for "Bond 25" was recently pushed back, from Feb. 14 to April 8, 2020.

[via: Collider; Variety]