Brie Larson (Short Term 12) has been locked in by Legendary Pictures to star in their upcoming film Kong: Skull Island alongside Tom Hiddleston (Thor), according to Deadline. Hiddleston has been attached to the King Kong origin story for quite a while now, with the leading lady slot being carefully considered.
Russell Crowe (Noah) is also currently in talks to replace the previously cast J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) and Michael Keaton (Birdman) who both bowed out of the project due to scheduling conflicts.
The film is looking to delve deeper into the dark and dangerous world inhabited by the larger than life gorilla and the island natives. Larson and Hiddleston will comprise a team of explorers surveying the wild environment.
The Kings of Summer director Jordan Vogt-Roberts will helm this project working from script by Max Borenstein (Godzilla) and John Gatins (Real Steel) and will begin production either by the end of the year or in early 2016.
Larson has of late been building her acting career through diverse indie outlets such as The Spectacular Now, Don Jon, and her critically acclaimed performance in Short Term 12. Her leading lady status has also received a boost after co-starring with Mark Wahlberg in The Gambler, making her casting in franchise-caliber film well awaited. She will be rounding out the year starring in three indies — Brooklyn Bridge with Daniel Radcliffe (What If), Room with William H. Macy (TV’s Shameless), and Basmati Blues with Donald Sutherland (The Hunger Games). She can now be seen in the Judd Apatow–Amy Schumer comedy Trainwreck.
Audiences will be able to see Larson take on Kong when Universal releases the film on March 10, 2017.
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