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Though there have only been six James Bond actors in the franchise thus far , there have been countless actors who have take on the theatrical role of 007 ’s foeman . The series has featured some great role player as baddie , including Oscar - winners like Christopher Walken , Javier Bardem , and most recently , Rami Malek inNo prison term to Die .
But the listing of doer who fall close to facing off with James Bond is equally sensation - studded . Though some of these Bond scoundrel have become iconic in the mind of fans , it is fun to imagine what might have been with these alternative casting option .
Updated on October 15th , 2021 by Colin McCormick : With the long - awaited sack of No Time to go in the end here , fans are getting to see Rami Malek in action as the dealership ’s latest villain . While Malek is in very undecomposed companionship in footing of past player who have played bail enemy , there are still even more bighearted figure who came near to facing off with 007 only for plan to change . rooter can take a looking at at the various other options and decide if the casting worked out for the best or if the substitute pick was better .
Christopher Lee As Dr. No in Dr. No
Christopher Lee has an interesting connection to the James Bond franchise . Not only did the legendary worker go on to play the memorable scoundrel Scaramanga inThe Man with the Golden Gun , but he was also the footfall - full cousin of Bond author Ian Fleming .
It was this relationship that almost got Lee cat as the first Bond scoundrel , Dr. No . In Lee ’s autobiography , he explains that he was work golf game with Fleming who asked Lee if he would take the part in the upcomingDr . No . However , Fleming was incognizant that producer had already honk Joseph Wiseman in the role .
Mark Strong As Renard In The World Is Not Enough
Mark Strong has made a life history out of play scoundrel roles , such as inSherlock HolmesandShazam ! . It ’s no surprisal he was considered for the part of Renard inThe World is Not Enough , and while he did n’t get it in the end , it did make for a good fib .
Strongrecently bring out that he try out for the Bond scoundrel theatrical role following a Nox of drinking and his hangover turn a loss him the part to Robert Carlyle . Coincidentally , Strong was drinking with future Bond star Daniel Craig .
Chiwetel Ejiofor As Blofeld In Spectre
The late James Bond movies have been able to draw immense Oscar - winning stars to play the villains . When it total to casting the new version of Blofeld inSpectre , the movie maker similarly looked for another hail actor to fill the iconic theatrical role .
According toThe Guardian , one of the first actors to circle the part was Chiwetel Ejiofor who was just coming off his Oscar - put up role in12 Years a Slave . For unknown reasons , Ejiofor was ineffective to take the part and it was instead given to Oscar - winner Christoph Waltz .
Lee Van Cleef As Whitaker In The Living Daylights
Though Timothy Dalton was impressive in his first appearance as James Bond inThe Living Daylights , the flick is somewhat forgettable , especially the lackluster baddie . Even the tainted military bad guy name Whitaker was thudding despite being played by the great character thespian Joe Don Baker .
But there was another interesting option for the purpose as Lee Van Cleef was reportedly up for the role . Van Cleef was known for roles inThe respectable , the Bad and the Uglyand has a substantial front . However , his talents might have been desolate in such a character .
Anthony Hopkins As Elliot Carver In Tomorrow Never Dies
Anthony Hopkins is another actor who hascircled the world of James Bondseveral time , admit being pop the question the hazard to play 007 himself . Hopkins confirm that he met with the producer about supplant Sean Connery but passed on the role .
However , he was later approach to play 006 inGoldenEyewhich was ab initio gestate as a wise man pattern for Bond before Sean Bean took the role . The sequel , Tomorrow Never give out , then orient the villain part of Elliot Carver for Hopkins only for him to turn it down .
Orson Welles As Auric Goldfinger In Goldfinger
The nominal villain inGoldfinger , the movie that both established and hone the Bond formula , was eventually played by Gert Fröbe , and he made the theatrical role an inst icon . According to Christopher Bray ’s bookSean Connery ; The Measure of a Man , the producers ' first selection for the role was really Orson Welles .
However , the mastermind behindCitizen Kaneproved to be too expensive . Welles would go on to play a different Bond villain , Le Chiffre , in the 1967 spoofCasino Royale . It ’s also strong to imagine Welles performingGoldfinger ’s famous death setting in the motion picture .
Rutger Hauer As General Orlov In Octopussy
Although the title character is the independent villain , Octopussyhas a secondary villain in the flesh of the power - thirsty Soviet militarist , General Orlov .
Rutger Hauer was one of the earliest actors considered for the role . Hauer ’s purpose inBlade RunnerandThe Hitcherproved that he could play a average villain . However , the role in the end went to Steven Berkoff who also specialized in villain purpose , such as inBeverly Hills Cop .
David Bowie As Max Zorin in A View To A Kill
The Bond producers were determined to get a pop star in the plaster bandage ofA View to a Killto attract youthful TV audience . This is why Grace Jones terminate up appearing in the moving picture . Prior to Jones ’ casting , David Bowie was put up the theatrical role of Max Zorin , one ofJames Bond ’s most ridiculous villains .
However , harmonize toSlate , Bowie turned it down because he did n’t like the hand ( and his blunt feedback was n’t appreciate by the producers ) and want to asterisk inLabyrinthinstead . The role was also offered to Mick Jagger and Sting before Christopher Walken was upchuck .
Jean Reno As Renard In The World Is Not Enough
The Pierce Brosnan Bond movieThe World is Not Enoughfeaturesan interesting twist with its Bond villains . However , the most physically redoubtable is a terrorist named Renard who was ultimately played byTrainspotting ’s Robert Carlyle .
consort to the bookSome Kind of Hero : The Remarkable Story of the James Bond Films , French actor Jean Reno was first put up the part after he gather some external fame due to his performances inThe ProfessionalandRonin . However , Reno ultimately turned the role down for personal reasons .
Al Pacino As General Medrano In Quantum Of Solace
Although Dominic Greene is the main scoundrel inQuantum of Solace , he serves a big , more knock-down villain , as he ’s helping an exiled Bolivian general named Medrano to bring down the government and take control of the country .
Though it was a supporting function in the flick , it was account byThe Mirrorthat Oscar - success Al Pacino would take the role in a cameo capability . This ended up not being the case perhaps due to the theatrical role being expanded beyond a shortsighted visual aspect .
Jack Palance As Francisco Scaramanga In The Man With The Golden Gun
Though he was not throw off as the first Bond scoundrel inDr . No , Christopher Lee ended up making an impression as the nominal opposition inThe Man with the Golden Gun . Lee play Scaramanga , a pestilent outside assassin who sets his sights on Bond .
While Lee had a long account of playing villains , he was not the first option for the function . Oscar - winner Jack Palance was offered the part grant to the bookKiss Kiss Bang ! Bang ! : The Unofficial James Bond Film Companion .
James Mason As Karl Stromberg In The Spy Who Loves Me
Although he ’s mistakenly credit as Curt Jurgens , Curd Jürgens gave an unforgettable turn as the nefarious Karl Stromberg – an malign genius bent on starting World War III – inThe Spy Who Loved Me . He was wander on manager Lewis Gilbert ’s recommendation , as they ’d worked together before .
Before Jürgens was cast , British actor James Mason was consider for the theatrical role of Stromberg . Known for his sophisticated on - blind comportment , it would have been interesting to see Mason in a big undercover agent adventure .
Faye Dunaway As Octopussy In Octopussy
Critics were divided by Maud Adams ' portrayal of the titular role inOctopussy . One wonder how the character would ’ve been make for differently if Faye Dunaway had been draw , as was originally planned .
Dunaway was a huge star at the time thanks to her iconic purpose in movies likeNetworkandBonnie and Clyde . Not amazingly , Dunaway proved to be too expensive for the movie and would likely have been a distracting sensation index in the role .
Gary Oldman As Blofeld In Spectre
Bringing backthe iconic Bond villain BlofeldinSpectrewas meet with a interracial reaction , especially as the motion picture made the mistake of trying to sell his appearance as a twist . However , vomit Christoph Waltz in the role did serve .
However , there was reportedly another Oscar victor up for the part as well . Gary Oldman was a top selection for the part which is not grueling to imagine given the countless baddie part he has played . However , with the connection revealed between Bond and Blofeld inSpectre , Oldman might have been outside the necessary eld range .
Frank Sinatra As Hugo Drax In Moonraker
Though Shirley Bassey end up singing the theme birdsong forMoonraker , the song was originally propose to Frank Sinatra . But in a rarefied move , the creative person considered for the root word song was also consider for the Bond baddie .
While it is easy to envisage Sinatra ’s iconic tattle part playing over the credits of a Bond movie , it is a luck more difficult to picture him as the megalomanic Hugo Drax in his space place inMoonraker . Michael Lonsdale ended up supply a more desirable defective guy rope performance in the part .
NEXT:10 Best James Bond Villain Bases , Ranked
