The name’s Blofeld, Ernst Blofeld…sort of. In one of the most shocking twists in the entire 60+-year James Bond franchise, it was revealed in 2015’s Spectre that Ernst Stavro Blofeld–one of the most frequent James Bond antagonists in the franchise’s canon–is actually 007’s adopted stepbrother. It was a twist that irked fans, who felt the reveal was silly and served no real purpose. Now, Christoph Waltz, who played Blofeld twice, is defending it, saying it was indeed a bingo.
In a recent interview, Christoph Waltz said the unveiling of Franz Oberhauser as Ernst Blofeld, worked much better than people give it credit for. “I think from a dramatic point of view, or a point of view of drama, it’s a fabulous turn. A fabulous conflict, a fabulous connection, and very useful for the stories. That’s how I felt about it…It heightens the conflict. Everything that heightens the conflict is useful in a drama.” Of course, while this twist may not sit well with most fans, Ralph Fiennes once revealed one that would have easily been more controversial: that M was going to be a main villain.
As for another major Bond franchise twist–the death of 007 in No Time to Die–Waltz had thoughts there as well. “That’s audacious, but it’s fabulous. It’s fabulous, because it’s definitely something no one expected. And it does not contradict the continuation of the saga. Daniel made this thing so much his own, and such a specific entity within the saga, that it’s OK if it continues. Even if Daniel’s [James Bond] had died.”
Despite playing Blofeld twice, Christoph Waltz previously said he wasn’t even so sure that he did a good job as Blofeld the first time around, saying, “I cannot claim that I’ve really nailed Blofeld. Overall, it held water and was okay. But it wasn’t what I’ve been looking for. I was searching for more inspiration.” Still, he would go on to reprise the role for 2021’s No Time to Die, which of course was also Daniel Craig’s last outing as Bond.
What did you think of the twist in Spectre that revealed Christoph Waltz’s Blofeld as Daniel Craig’s Bond’s adopted brother? Does it have merit like Waltz says? How do you think he did in the iconic villain role? Let us know your take in the comments section below!