Javier Bardem to Play Villain in 'Wall Street 2'

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Rumor has it, Javier Bardem will be taking on the villain role of "Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps". According to Nikki Finke of Deadline Hollywood Daily, this 40-year-old actor has been lined up to play a stock-shorting worldwide hedge fund manager whom Shia LaBeouf's character suspects to be responsible for the death of his mentor.

If Bardem is indeed cast to play the antagonist, he will be sharing screen with Michael Douglas, who will reprise his Academy Award-winning role as Gordon Gekko, and LaBeouf, who Finke confirmed to have set to co-star in the movie despite earlier report claiming that the young actor was in negotiation. So far, there are no words from Bardem's camp regarding the casting speculation.

More about the sequel itself, Finke reported that the movie is expected to start its principal photography on August 10 with the release plan for February 2010. It allegedly will begin 21 years after the end of the first movie and Gordon Gekko has finished serving his prison sentence. This time, the story revolves around LaBeouf's character who is engaged to Gekko's estranged daughter.

When LaBeouf's mentor unexpectedly kills himself, LaBeouf suspects that Bardem's character has something to do with it. Seeking for revenge, he then asks Gekko, who tries to mend his relationship with his daughter, for help.

Javier Bardem is an Academy Award recipient for his portrayal of hitman Anton Chigurh in "No Country for Old Men". This Spanish actor has starred in several English-language feature films, including "Collateral", "Love in the Time of Cholera" and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona".