Javier Bardem is in negotiations to voice a new villain in Despicable Me 2, the sequel to Universal and Illumination’s surprise 2010 hit.

The first movie followed a villainous mastermind, voiced by Steve Carell, who connects with his paternal side when the trio of orphans he hires for an evil scheme melt his icy heart.

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Carell and most of the other players from the first movie are expected to return but the new plot, being kept under wraps, calls for a new villain, who has a son of his own.

Bardem would voice the baddie, whose name is El Macho. (His son’s name is Machito.)  While the WME-repped actor, and newly minted father, has played many villains on-screen — Bardem won an Oscar for playing sociopathic hitman Anton Chigurh in 2007’s No Country For Old Men — this would make his first turn, evil or otherwise, in the animation world.

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Universal has set a July 3, 2012 release for Despicable Me 2, which is being directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud.