Upcoming Bond films are always accompanied by a torrent of baseless rumours linking every big name actor under the sun to roles which often seem to have been made up during tabloid journalists’ coffee break. So when the internet was recently abuzz with the story that Javier Bardem was considering a role in the recently confirmed Bond 23, which will arrive just in time for the series’ fiftieth anniversary in November 2012, we held back lest this be another ‘Angelina Jolie set to play Bond girl/villain/Bond’ situation.
After the LA Times sat down for a chinwag with Bardem, it seems there may have been some basis to the rumour after all. The actor confirmed that there have been talks with director Sam Mendes about taking on the role of Bond’s nemesis, with the role apparently catching his attention by being ‘more nuanced’ and changing the traditional dynamic between Bond and his antagonist. We can only guess what that means, but Bardem has made an outstanding villain before (think No Country) and a face-off between him and Craig could prove to be the manliest event in history.
[via LA Times]
