No Time To Die star Rami Malek tiptoes around "interesting" Dr No theories

Unfortunately, the Oscar-winning actor didn't give too much away, but he certainly hasn't denied the rumours either.

"That’s interesting," he said when asked about the rumours by GQ. "I’m not going to bite on that, but I do think it’s interesting. They’ll just have to wait and see."

His refusal to outright dismiss the rumours will likely lead some fans to suspect that there might be an element of truth to them, but as Malek says – we'll just have to wait and see.

Not much his known about the villain, beyond the fact that he has some mysterious question to the returning Madeline Swann, played by Lea Seydoux.

Speaking more generally about other rumours that have been circulating among 007 fans – including those regarding the possibility of Bond having a daughter or the presence of a biological weapon capable of causing a global pandemic – Malek was similarly tight-lipped.

But he did promise that, one way or another, fans are going to be shocked by what they see unfold.

“Let the rumours fly,” he said, “because no matter what you expect from this movie, you will be shocked when you watch the film. I will not add any fuel to that fire.”

No Time To Die has already gone through an incredibly protracted release: originally scheduled to premiere in April 2020, the studio then postponed the release until November before subsequently moving it to the current date in April 2021.

The film marks Daniel Craig fifth and final outing as Bond, while a host of stars including Ralph Fiennes (M), Seydoux (Madeleine Swann), Naomie Harris (Moneypenny), Ben Whishaw (Q), Rory Kinnear (Bill Tanner) Jeffrey Wright (Felix Leiter) will all be reprising their roles.

Meanwhile, newcomers to the franchise, alongside Malek, include Knives Out star Ana de Armas and Captain Marvel star Lashana Lynch.

No Time To Die will be released in the UK next year. If you’re looking for something else to watch, check out our TV Guide.