When Daniel Craig returns to the big screen as James Bond in the long-running franchise’s 23rd installment next year, he’ll be joined by Javier Bardem.
Deadline is reporting that Eon Productions, the production company behind the Bond franchise, have extended an offer to the actor for a “Starring role” in the upcoming, as-yet-untitled film. While the specifics of the role are being kept under wraps, it seems like a good bet that it is probably the film’s major villain.
This is not the only role Bardem has been offered since he received an Academy Award nomination for his work in the Mexican film Biutiful last Tuesday. He was also offered the part of gunslinger Roland Deschain in the Ron Howard-directed three film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel series The Dark Tower. Bond 23 is set to begin production later this year, so participation in one of these two projects would probably preclude participation in the other.
Deadline is also reporting that studio MGM is still looking for a partner studio to share financing and distribution costs and duties on the film. But no matter what studio logo we see before the famous James Bond 007 “gun barrel” opening, we’ll be seeing the film starting November 9, 2012.
