By Francisco Salazar (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Mar 24, 2013 03:20 PM EDT

Even though Sony and MGM recently announced that the next James Bond movie would not be seen in the next three years, speculation regarding the identity and cast of the next villain has already emerged.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson recently stated that he would be interested in playing a villain role especially after his grandfather was seen in "You Only Live Twice." "Dr. Who" star Matt Smith also expressed his desire to work on the next Bond film. He stated "I'm not handsome enough to be James Bond and maybe a villain though. Start campaigning now. I don't think I could be James Bond though."  

Both of these actors sound interesting for roles but the last three films have seen foreign actors play the role of antagonist. In 2006's "Casino Royale," Danish thesp Mads Mikkelsen played Le Chiffre. Around the time that the film was shot and released, Mikkelsen was garnering fame in the U.S. after an appearance in "King Arthur" and for starring in the Oscar nominee "After the Wedding." In 2008, French actor Mathieu Amalric played Dominic Greene. The actor had already gained a U.S. following after his turns in "Munich," and "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly." For "Skyfall," Javier Bardem took the role of the Silva. Out of the three he was the most famous especially after being nominated for three Academy Awards and winning for his turn as the iconic Anton Chigurh in "No Country For Men."

As a result, the producers of the next James Bond film are most likely to cast a foreign actor who has risen to fame and gained prominence in the U.K. and U.S. Therefore actors such as Matthias Schoenaerts, Omar Sy, Michael Fassbender and Gael Garcia Bernal are likely possibilities.

Belgium actor Schoenaerts last starred in "Rust and Bone" and gained critical acclaim for his performance. The actor immediately found work in the U.S. and U.K. with "Blood Ties," which reunited him with Marion Cotillard. He is also set to star alongside Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace in "Animal Rescue" and "A Little Chaos" with Kate Winslet. He may be busy at the moment but if he delivers on those projects, producers could definitely consider him as his grit could add a different element to the next Bond villain.

French actor Sy last starred in the critically acclaimed "Les Intouchables." The actor garnered a vast amount of awards for his work in the film and has already landed a role in the next X-Men movie. He will also be seen in another French film, "Mood Indigo" with Audrey Tautou. If they decide to go with Sy, it could add an interesting racial context to the film that may be controversial or dynamic.

German-Irish actor Fassbender has already become one of the most sought after stars in Hollywood. His turn in 2011's "Shame" garnered accolades and star power. He has already played villains in "Prometheus" and "X-Men" and has been acclaimed for these turns as well. His schedule is currently busy with projects for Terrence Malick, the new "X-Men" and the upcoming film "The Counselor." Additionally, he will also star in the next "Prometheus" and will be producing "Assassin's Creed," which he is rumored to star in. It sounds a bit like wishful thinking, but an actor with this amount of popularity could help the next Bond film bring in a bigger box office.

Mexican actor Garcia Bernal is the only non-European actor on this list and seems to be the biggest longshot. However, given his profile in the U.S. and around the world, he could potentially be cast in the role. Garcia Bernal has been seen in a diverse range of films including Mexican movies like "Amores Perros" and "El Crimen del Padre Amaro" to American productions, such as "The Limits of Control," "The Loneliest Planet" and "Letters to Juliet." He has also been seen in Chilean movie ("No") and Spanish films ("Bad Education," "Even the Rain"). The actor has already played villainous roles in such motion pictures as "Blindness" and "Casa de Mi Padre," for which he has garnered acclaim.

Daniel Craig is slated to reprise the role of Bond with Ralph Fiennes and Ben Whishaw in the 24th Bond flick. According to producers, the next director will be chosen in the coming month and John Logan is currently working on the script.

Who do you think could be the next Bond Villain? Will it be another European? An American? A Central or South American?

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