Penelope Cruz to be a Bond Girl in next James Bond film?

It appears that all of the directorial wrangling on the next James Bond film is over with now that Sam Mendes is on board to direct the next two. As contract talks with Daniel Craig continue to lock him down for what is looking like a two-part story, a rumor has emerged that they may have found his Bond Girl co-star.

A report over at Yahoo! says that Penelope Cruz is set to become the "oldest ever Bond Girl" in Bond 24. Only in Hollywood does it make a difference that Cruz will be 41 by the time production is expected to begin, when few make a big deal over Craig being 45 and would be approaching 50 by the time all is said and done. Whether this story is legit or just a rumor making the rounds is unclear, but it does seem unlikely that they would be looking to fill other roles before everything with Mendes and Craig has been finalized. But it does sound as if the producers have been trying to land her for some time, but her busy schedule always proved a hindrance. She's currently pregnant by her husband, Javier Bardem, who played the villain Skyfall.

Cruz would be coming off the $1B-grossing Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and it's still up in the air whether she'll return for the fifth film. Chances are she wouldn't be able to do both.  Cruz definitely has the glamourous look of a Bond Girl, and can more than hold her own if called upon to get physical. Nothing has been confirmed, but shooting on Bond 24 is expected to begin next year.