Pop Rocks: Who Else Would Make a Good Bond Villain?

Jeez, when are they going to stop casting ugly actors in these Bond movies?

After months of speculation about who would play the villain in the next James Bond installment, we finally have an answer, friendo: Javier Bardem.

During an interview with Christiane Amanpour on Nightline, in which the Spanish actor talked about his involvement with a charity to help west Saharan refugees, Bardem confirmed that he would be playing the bad guy in Bond 23.

Bardem is a fine actor, so this is good news. I've really been enjoying the new flicks. Daniel Craig makes a fine -- if occasionally terrifying -- Bond, and I'm liking the gradual unveiling of the sinister organization known as QUANTUM.

But the news got me thinking about who might be the next Blofeld, Stromberg or Scaramanga (he wasn't that great a villain, I just like saying "Scaramanga").

Brendan Gleeson
You Might Remember Him From Such Films As: Braveheart, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, In Bruges

As Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody (possessed by Barty Crouch Jr.), we caught a glimpse of the insanity required to blackmail the world with nuclear weapons or blow up the San Andreas Fault. And after playing so many sympathetic gingers, he's probably ready to unleash his inner Goldfinger.

Cate Blanchett
You Might Remember Her From Such Films As: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Elizabeth, Charlotte Gray

Isn't it curious that there's never been a female Bond villain. This plays well into Ian Fleming's own misogyny, but only inadvertently. The deadlier of the species have made inroads (Sophie Marceau in The World Is Not Enough is the only one so far), but never as the mastermind. Blanchett would be a perfect foil for Daniel Craig, perhaps as the ultimate force behind QUANTUM?

Richard Jenkins
You Might Remember Him From Such Films As: The Visitor, Step Brothers, Burn After Reading

Jenkins fools you with his dull, white collar exterior, but many of his characters are barely containing a darkness within. Jenkins would be that mild-mannered office manager you'd never believe was caught embezzling millions from company coffers. And using them to build a death ray.