According to Forbes, the simmering Spaniard won’t be providing his chilling delivery to the project due to scheduling difficulties and other offers. Bardem was being sought to play a villainous hedge fund manager (which amusingly implies there are some who are not villains).
Shia LaBeouf is still on the sequel (tentatively titled MONEY NEVER SLEEPS) as a young trader who seeks revenge advice from his fiancee’s dad: Michael Douglas’ infamous remorseless greed-lover, now released from prison for his past plunders.
A replacement bad guy has not been announced yet. Bardem is apparently instead making the Julia Roberts romance EAT, PRAY, LOVE, which seems significantly less interesting. Meanwhile, the real-life monetary meltdown is apparently still stuck in the second act. Wonder how it’ll end…