Ralph Fiennes Rumored for James Bond 23

Ralph Fiennes is reportedly under consideration for a "darkly complex" role in Bond 23, one that is said to be different from the villain role that Javier Bardem has been offered.

Granted, the story comes from a British paper, The Daily Mail, but what they have to say is quite intriguing:

"Fiennes is not interested in the usual run-of-the-mill action picture, but he was intrigued when he was told of [director Sam] Mendes's 'revolutionary' plans for Bond 23. 'It's the first of a new generation of Bond films, and the ideas Mendes has push the film into darker territory where the characters are modern, mature and challenging,' a film executive in Los Angeles connected to the production told me. At the moment, the situation with Fiennes is purely at the discussion stage." (It should be noted that Fiennes and Mendes are old friends from the British theater scene.)

Ironically, Ralph Fiennes played secret agent John Steed in the big screen version of the TV classic The Avengers, opposite original 007 Sean Connery. Fiennes himself was long rumored to be up for the 007 role himself back in the day.

Bond 23 will see Daniel Craig back as 007 and Judi Dench as M.