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The Scottish actor, best known for his roles in The Full Monty and Trainspotting, is set to portray the role of Renard, an assassin, in the 19th James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) adventure.
The character of Renard has a bullet lodged in his brain and therefore is immune to pain. The character background of Renard - real name Claude Serrault - is that of a former French Foreign Legion officer. He also has a pet hawk, trained to gouge out victim's eyes.
According to a report in the London Times, at the start of The World Is Not Enough, Bond's boss M explains to an agent: "The story [of Renard] goes that the doctor who saved him couldn't get the bullet out, so Renard killed him. When Interpol found the X-rays there was mild jubilation. The bullet in his brain is on the move; effectively he's a dead man."
The agent adds: "Our medical people tell us the bullet's moving through the medulla, killing off his sense of pain. He can push himself harder, longer. His strength could become phenomenal."
Other actors have previously been associated with the role of Renard. While on tour last year, Meatloaf announced that he was taking the role. Jean Reno (French Kiss, Leon) was also rumoured to be in discussion.
Carlyle, who won a BAFTA award for his role in The Full Monty, is expected to receive £ 1 m ($1.56m CDN) for the Bond role.