‘Killing Pablo’: Bardem Out, Ramirez In

A sure-fire Oscar contender for 2010 has been replaced.   Javier Bardem, who was scheduled to play Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar, has left Joe Carnahan’s ‘Killing Pablo’ due to scheduling conflicts.

Bardem has said he and the actor “couldn’t find a time when we could both work.”

Apparently, however, this is old news, as Carnahan has already found Bardem’s replacement, ‘The Bourne Ultimatums” villain, Edgar Ramirez.

Of Ramirez, Carnahan stated this: “I spent the last week in Columbia with Edgar Ramirez talking ‘Pablo’ and he has every intention of portraying Escobar and I couldn’t be more fired up by the prospect.   He’s coming at it with boundless enthusiasm, conviction to the role and the understanding that he’s going to have to pack on anywhere from 35 to 40 lbs.”

No word whether or not Adrian Grenier was anywhere on Carnahan’s list of options.