Next month, Universal will launch its Monsters cinematic universe with The Mummy, and while we'll have to wait to see how that reboot performs in theaters, the studio has already spent significant time plotting out the mythology of this world. Frankenstein's monster is one of the many classic creatures expected to appear, and last year, it was reported that No Country for Old Men star Javier Bardem was in talks to play the hulking creature. There's never been official confirmation on whether or not he's taken the role, but when questioned on the subject, Bardem indicated that he was happy to participate in this franchise. In his words:
Yeah, well, there are talks. And I would love to be part of it. Because it's an iconic... speaking of an iconic character! I have the size of the head. [Laughs] That's for sure. They're not going to waste a lot of money in makeup, that's for sure.
While interviewing Javier Bardem at a junket promoting his upcoming blockbuster, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (where Bardem plays the main antagonist, Armando Salazar), CinemaBlend's own Eric Eisenberg brought up the Frankenstein casting. While Bardem clarified that the role is not quite his yet, he did make it clear that he's very much interested in playing Mary Shelley's creation, and even dropped some self-deprecating jokes about how they won't have to alter his appearance too much.
There's been no shortage of Frankenstein's monster depiction on the big screen, from Boris Karloff giving the definitive take on the hulking creature in the 1930s to Shuler Hensley's iteration from 2004's Van Helsing. Looking at Javier Bardem's work, much of which is packed with accolades and awards, he definitely has the acting chops to uniquely perform Frankenstein's monster for a new generation. No doubt a lot of people would be on board for this casting, but as of now, nothing is set in stone yet.
Following The Mummy's release, Universal has two Monsters movies scheduled for April 13, 2018 and February 15, 2019, respectively, but neither have been identified. However, there are plenty of entries that have already been announced, including The Wolf Man, The Bride of Frankenstein (which may end up being where we see this version of Frankenstein's monster), The Invisible Man (starring Johnny Depp as the eponymous character), The Creature from the Black Lagoon and a Van Helsing reboot.
There's no word yet on when Frankenstein will debut in the Universal Monsters cinematic universe, but you can watch The Mummy officially kick off this franchise on June 9. Javier Bardem can be seen next in Darren Aronofsky's mother! on October 13, and he'll also play Pablo Escobar in Fernando León de Aranoa's Escobar, which doesn't have a release date yet.
