Back in December, we reported on the news that sequels to both ROUNDERS and SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE are on the way following Harvey Weinstein’s announcement that he (and his brother) is back with Miramax. While details on the movies remain limited at the moment, Weinstein did reveal some very good news for fans of the original ROUNDERS: “The guys [writers David Levien and Brian Koppelman] have a great idea, a way to make it more international where you start the card game in Paris, that’s all I want to say.” Of course, that wasn’t all that he said, as he noted that a replacement for John Malkovich’s damn-near iconic Teddy KGB is also in the works. Rumors have pointed to Robert De Niro as filling that role, but it remains to be seen if the legendary actor will indeed be added to the cast of ROUNDERS 2.
At the moment, it’s unclear exactly who will take on the villainous role in addition to those of the more minor characters depicting professional poker players. In terms of the latter, said players have some lofty expectations for who could portray them. That being said, Bill Murray would be an awesome choice as an older Jesse May. But seeing how those parts haven’t been cast either, we’re going to stick to the main guy here: the bad guy. Here are our picks for who could play the role, including one that is admittedly a bit absurd.
1. John Glover – He may not be a household name, but John Glover has made some waves in his career. Most notably, he portrayed Lex Luthor’s father, Lionel Luthor, on the TV series SMALLVILLE. In other words, Glover’s got it in him to be the super-baddie needed for the second ROUNDERS, though maybe he’s not exactly well-known enough to take on such a big part in a highly anticipated sequel. Still, it’s hard not to imagine him as the stand-in for Teddy KGB after seeing this picture in a Google image search.
2. Michael Shannon – Yeah, Robert De Niro’s got the big-name draw and all, but Michael Shannon would be absolutely perfect in this role. For those unfamiliar, he’s displayed his incredible acting chops on BOARDWALK EMPIRE as the character Nelson Van Alden. Not only that, but he’s proven that he could make for one hell of a villain. Need proof? Just check out this video on YouTube and you’ll be sure to nod in agreement—and never want to come across Mr. Shannon in your life.
3. Vinnie Jones – Maybe rugby player-turned-badass actor Vinnie Jones isn’t the best pick here, but he would definitely liven up the role and bring some over-the-top comedy. Malkovich had the pure acting skills—as do most of these suggestions—but there’s something inherently great about Jones that makes him a solid fit. That’s particularly true if the writers add some parts with physical intimidation, because the guy did play one of the biggest X-Men characters in history.
4. Ben Kingsley – While this one should come as no surprise to anyone who enjoys film, I had a bit of trouble thinking of Ben Kingsley as a potential villain choice—until I remembered that Jaguar commercial. You may have seen it if you watched the Super Bowl or just watch TV all the time like me, but it also features Tom Hiddleston and Mark Strong. Howe it’s Sir Kingsley who steals the show at the ending stating “Oh yes, it’s good to be bad.” Indeed, sir. Indeed.
5. Pero Antic – OK, so this guy’s not actually an actor. However, in doing my research of the ROUNDERS follow-up, I found this interesting piece by sports writer Bill Simmons over at Grantland. In answering a slew of NBA Playoffs-related questions, he rattled off three players who would make great movie villains. And coming in at number one was b-ball giant Pero Antic, who Simmons quipped could actually play one of Teddy KGB’s bodyguards in the sequel. Hell, why not just give the guy the entire role altogether? Who knows, maybe he’d be one of those rare athletes who’s actually halfway decent at acting.
