The James Bond films are well known for containing maniacal villains with over-the-top schemes, and it seems No Time to Die will be no exception. When the 25th Bond film finally releases in October 2021, Daniel Craig's 007 will be going up against Rami Malek's Lyutsifer Safin, who has been described as a misunderstood but incredibly dangerous and unstable individual. Not much is known about Safin, but the film's trailers have revealed that his plan will affect the entire world and potentially result in the deaths of millions.
No Time to Die's trailers also revealed that the criminal organization Spectre will be returning in some capacity. The previous installment in the series, appropriately titled Spectre, established that the nefarious group and its leader Ernst Stavro Blofeld had been behind almost all of the recent tragedies in Bond's life. The film ended with Blofeld being defeated by 007, and promotional material for No Time to Die has shown the criminal mastermind being kept under heavy lock and key by MI6.
However, Blofeld is not the only Spectre member returning in the upcoming Bond film. Trailers for No Time to Die have included several shots of Bond attending a party before gas is released on the attendees, causing everyone except 007 to fall to the ground. Interestingly, a returning character from Spectre named Doctor Vogel can be glimpsed among the crowd. Vogel first appeared at the Spectre board meeting in the previous film, updating her fellow members on the group's advancements in prostitution and human trafficking.
These particular shots from the trailers raise a number of interesting possibilities pertaining to Spectre and how the group ties into Safin's plans. The sight of Bond remaining conscious and aware while Vogel and the other party attendees fall suggests that the released gas was specifically tailored to them and not Bond. When one combines this with the theory that Safin previously tried to kill Spectre Lieutenant Mr. White, it seems that one of Safin's goals is to wipe out Spectre.
Should the theory about Safin's history with Mr. White prove correct, an existing enmity between the villain and Spectre would be established. In the present day, the organization is sure to be fairly disorganized with its leader in prison, providing a perfect opportunity for a new criminal mastermind to swoop in and make their mark. After reappearing in the present day with a chip on his shoulder, Safin would most likely want to fulfill his vendetta against the group.
With Vogel and the rest of Spectre out of the way, there would only be one person left affiliated with the organization: Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Several other shots from the trailer have shown heavily armed men breaking into what appears to be a government building, perhaps hinting that Safin plans to assassinate Blofeld and completely take Spectre off the board forever. Eliminating Blofeld, Doctor Vogel and Spectre's other remaining members would allow Safin to get even with them for his past encounter with Mr. White. In addition, it would also wipe out the competition and leave his megalomaniacal plans unchallenged, with only James Bond standing in his way.
After numerous delays, Safin is finally set to make his big-screen debut in No Time to Die on October 8.