Creed’s Tessa Thompson is in talks to star opposite Natalie Portman in the latest film from Ex Machina’s Alex Garland
It was first announced last fall that Alex Garland, the writer and director behind the critically-acclaimed sci-fi thriller Ex Machina, had signed on to direct Paramount Pictures‘ upcoming futuristic gothic horror adaptation Annihilation, based on the first part of novelist Jeff VanderMeer’s “Southern Reach” trilogy. In May, Academy Award winner Natalie Portman (Black Swan, Thor) signed on to star, with “Jane the Virgin” star Gina Rodriguez joining her in November. Now TheWrap is reporting that Paramount is currently in talks with red-hot Tessa Thompson, fresh off the fall hit Creed, for an undisclosed role.
Annihilation, first published in 2014, is officially described as follows:
A team of four (a biologist, an anthropologist, a psychologist, and a surveyor) set out into a place known as Area X. The area is abandoned and cut off from the rest of civilization. They are the 12th expedition. The other expeditions have been fraught with disappearances, suicides, aggressive cancers, and mental trauma.
Paramount Pictures and producer Scott Rudin (also a producer on Ex Machina) acquired the movie rights to the entire 2014 trilogy last year. “Annihilation” published in March, was followed by “Authority” in May and “Acceptance” in September.
With talk of a Best Supporting Actress nod for Creed in the air, Thompson already has a few roles in the can, including a co-starring role opposite Alexander Skarsgård and Theo James in the comedy War on Everyone, as well as a supporting part in HBO’s upcoming “Westworld” series.
Are you looking forward to Annihilation? Who do you think Tessa Thompson will be playing? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
(Photo credit: WENN)
