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Mikkelsen is le villain in 'Casino' pic

'Royale' villain

Tatiana Siegel
The cast of Sony's "Casino Royale" is near completion.

Mads Mikkelsen will fill the shoes of James Bond nemesis Le Chiffre, sources confirmed. The Danish actor joins Daniel Craig and Judi Dench in the Martin Campbell-helmed film, which began principal photography Jan. 27 in Prague. All that's missing now is a leading lady for the martini-loving agent; the studio is expected to make an announcement within days.

In the book, which was Ian Fleming's first in the long-running series, Bond matches wits with Le Chiffre while playing high-stakes baccarat. The evil genius, also known as the Number or the Cipher, is a banker for terrorists and criminals with a penchant for torture. Le Chiffre is rumored to have been inspired by British occultist Aleister Crowley.

Mikkelsen's casting had been widely expected after news surfaced this week that the actor's taxi driver father reportedly told fares that his son had won the coveted role.

Mikkelsen's credits include "King Arthur" and the first two installments of the gritty Danish crime trilogy "Pusher."
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