Universal Pictures is taking their monster movie-verse very seriously when it comes to casting. The studio has already set such stars as Tom CruiseRussell Crowe, and Johnny Depp for their modern remakes of classic horror properties, but a new report adds Javier Bardem to the list. The Oscar-winning actor is in talks to play perhaps the most iconic movie monster in history, that of Frankenstein himself.

To clarify Variety's write-up, Bardem is in talks with Universal to star in Frankenstein as Dr. Victor Frankenstein's resurrected creation, not the doctor himself. In even more exciting news, Bardem might appear as Frankenstein's monster in an earlier movie, possibly even The Mummy, which is about to ... wrap. If Bardem signs on, not only will he follow in the footsteps of a long line of famous actors who played the creature, but he'll likely get to add a new, bizarre hairstyle to his already impressive list.


Here's a little extra clarity on Bardem's potential role after the initial announcement was met with some confusion:

[EMBED_TWITTER]https://twitter.com/krolljvar/status/752584934259175424[/EMBED_TWITTER]

Universal is also developing a Bride of Frankenstein picture, so you can expect a lot of Bardemstein in the wider world of monster movies if the deal closes. Interestingly enough, Bardem was previously approached for the role of Dr. Jekyll, which went to Crowe after Bardem passed. Crowe will be seen as the mild-mannered doctor in The Mummy, which stars Cruise as Tyler Colt, and Sofia Boutella as the title monster. Written by Jon Spaihts and directed by Alex Kurtzman - who is helping to develop the shared universe with Chris MorganThe Mummy will emerge on June 9, 2017.

Elsewhere in the monster movie-verse, The Invisible Man, starring Depp in the title role, is due for a April 13, 2018 release date and was written by Ed Solomon (Men in BlackNow You See Me). There's also a planned remake of The Wolf Man, and the aforementioned Bride of Frankenstein, though neither film has a firm release date just yet. We're also keeping our eyes peeled for Creature from the Black Lagoon and Van Helsing films. These heroes and villains, which are in more of a gray area as far as the original literature is concerned, deserve a worthwhile reboot; this strong push for a highly capable cast is a great start.

Do you think Bardem would make a killer Frankenstein? How excited are you for how Universal's monster movie-verse is shaping up? Let us know in the comments below!


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Image via Miramax
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Image via Miramax Films/Paramount Vantage
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Image via Sony Pictures

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