News > Javier Bardem will not play Pablo Escobar

Coming Soon had a chance to speak with Bardem at a press junket for Woody Allen's romantic comedy "Vicky Christina Barcelona." When they asked Bardem today how he was preparing for the role of Pablo Escobar in Joe Carnahan's "Killing Pablo," he informed them it was "a mistake" and that it "wasn't true" he was going to play the part in Carnahan's movie. 

It was reported by Variety last October that the Yari Film Group was fast-tracking the film with Bardem playing the lead role and Christian Bale to co-star.

In February, the National Ledger cast some doubt on whether Bardem would play the role, but it seemed more like Bardem hadn't decided what he wanted to do yet, saying "Those credits are up in the air" even though Bardem was still listed to play the role on IMDb.com, having presumably been Carnahan's first choice for Escobar.

There's been no word from Bale on his own part in the movie despite having spent the past few weeks doing press for The Dark Knight.