Edgar Ramirez to play Ilich Ramirez Sanchez

Actor Edgar Ramirez has signed on to star in French director Olivier Assayas’ upcoming “Ilich: Story of Carlos,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The film focuses on the true story of Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, a Venezuelan revolutionary who collaborated with radical groups in several countries, including Syria and Iraq.

Known also as Carlos and later Jackal, he became notorious after raiding the OPEC headquarters in Vienna in 1975. Sanchez is currently serving a life sentence in a French prison.

The trade says Assayas specifically wanted Ramirez to play the lead character. The actor will explore several languages for the part.

Ramirez’s credits include “Domino,” “The Bourne Ultimatum” and “Vantage Point.” He will next be seen in Steven Soderbergh’s “Che” flicks “The Argentine” and “Guerilla.”

Also, Ramirez recently replaced Javier Bardem as Pablo Escobar in Joe Carnahan’s upcoming “Killing Pablo.”