Some very disappointing news today regarding Oliver Stone’s upcoming sequel to his 1988 financial-balloon film Wall Street. A few weeks ago, we brought you the exciting news that Javier Bardem was cast alongside Michael Douglas and Shia LaBeouf to play a villainous hedge fund manager (as if there were any other).
According to financial magazine, “Forbes,” Bardem had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts and “5 or 6 other offers.” He has apparently opted to co-star alongside Julia Roberts in a romantic film entitled Eat, Pray, Love, based on a best-selling novel. Booty.
After the news of Sean Penn leaving The Three Stooges, this is probably the next most disappointing casting about-face. I still hope Stone can deliver a film as good as the original and I have faith that he can, but with Bardem’s participation it almost seemed inevitable. Now that Bardem is gone, who would you like to see fill his character’s shoes?
Wall Street 2, subtitled Money Never Sleeps, is still tentatively slated for a February 2010 release.