In late October, we reported that Warner Bros. Pictures was looking to snag Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight Rises) the play Colonel Shikishima aka The Colonel in the Jaume Collet-Serra– directed live-action adaptation of the Japanese graphic novel Akira.

Not only does Oldman have his pick of that role, but Deadline reports that Warner Bros is also hoping he’ll accept the role of Merlin in Arthur & Lancelot, a film that will be directed by David Dobkin using his own script. No casting confirmations to report as of yet but the studio is keen on Joel Kinnaman (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Killing) to play Lancelot and will begin testing actors for the part of Arthur.

[The Shakedown]

I’ve been a fan of Gary Oldman’s for years. His ability to transform into any character is absolutely astounding and it is really unbelievable that he has not been nominated or won an Oscar yet. Oldman has played so many iconic characters: Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight films as Jim Gordon, Harry Potter’s godfather, Sirius Black, in the Harry Potter films, Ludwig van Beethoven in Immortal Beloved, the Jean Paul Gaultier-decked baddie Zorg in The Fifth Element, and of course, the original vampire, Dracula, in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Heck, any film should thank their lucky stars to feature an Oldman performance!

[Above: The many iconic characters Gary Oldman has played – (L-R) Jim Gordon, Sirius Black, Beethoven, Zorg, and two faces of Dracula]