It looks like Javier Bardem will join the ranks of Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe and Johnny Depp in Universal’s Monster Universe.
The Oscar-winning actor is currently in negotiations to play the classic movie monster Frankenstein, TheWrap has learned.
But the studio hasn’t decided which movie will mark Oscar winner’s first appearance as it continues to put together its cinematic universe of overlapping movies, a source close to the project told TheWrap.
The studio, however, knows that Frankenstein will definitely be a part of that multi-movie rollout.
After locking in Tom Cruise to star in “The Mummy,” Universal landed a second major movie star to bolster its Monsters Universe when Johnny Depp was cast to star in “The Invisible Man.”
From there, Russell Crowe signed on to play a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type of role in “The Mummy” reboot opposite Cruise.
Like Bardem, it’s possible that Crowe could win his own standalone movie at some point down the line.
Alex Kurtzman and Chris Morgan, the architects of the Monsters Universe, are producing the big-budget “Mummy” movie for Universal.
Kurtzman is also directing the film, which Universal has set for theatrical release on June 9, 2017. The movie also stars Annabelle Wallis, Sofia Boutella, Jake Johnson and Courtney B. Vance.
Bardem is represented by WME.