British actor Daniel Craig will star for the fifth time as James Bond in the still untitled 25th movie of the spy thriller franchise set for release next year, the producers said on Thursday.
Craig, 51, the sixth actor to play the British secret agent, will be joined by previous Bond co-stars and several newcomers, including Oscar winner Rami Malek, who played Queen front man Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody" last year.
Malek, 37, is set to play Bond's latest archenemy in the upcoming film, which goes by the working title "Bond 25" and will include on-location scenes in Jamaica, the producers said in a webcast from the Caribbean island.
"I promise you all I will be making sure that Mr. Bond does not have an easy ride of it in this his 25th outing," Malek said in a recorded announcement from New York.
(Reporting by Peter Szekely; editing by Jonathan Oatis) ((Peter.Szekely@thomsonreuters.com; (646) 223-5302; Reuters Messaging: @peszeke))
