Physicist Stephen Hawking must play a Bond villain

Dr Julius No and Auric Goldfinger, not to mention Ernst Stavro Blofeld, are worried. Physicist Stephen Hawking has shown interest in joining the ranks of these notable Bond villains. Hawking points out why he'd be such a good candidate: he’s got a wheelchair and has a computer voice. For the role of a baddie, he could add a self-harming gloved hand with 'a mind of its own' like the wheelchaired Dr Strangelove had in Stanley Kubrick's classic with the same name. Our suggestion for the name of Hawking's character: The Black Hole.

And may we also suggest Christopher Nolan to direct the next Bond film as an action-sci-fi Batman-meets-Interstellar mash-up. Hawking could provide insightful inputs involving 007 travelling back and forth in time to save the universe and beyond. Although that could perilously become an Austin Powers movie with Hawking as Dr Evil rather than a strong-chinned Bond flick. Hawking's fondness for pop culture is well-known. He's lent his computer voice to go with his animated version in an episode of The Simpsons. He's guest starred in a Star Trek episode and has wagers with fellow physicists in which the winner will get a subscription to Playboy. But to play a Bond villain, he will have to up the ante. Will James be able to outwit The Black Hole as he faces his fellow Brit? Only time will tell. And space, of course.