Alex Garland’s ‘Annihilation’ Eyes ‘Creed’ Star Tessa Thompson
Alex Garland’s next feature film is shaping up to have a cast as good as his last one did — and that’s really saying something, consideringEx Machinastarred Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, and Alicia Vikander. His new projectAnnihilationalready hasNatalie PortmanandGina Rodriguezin place, and now it’s looking to bringCreedbreakoutTessa Thompsoninto the fold as well.
More details on the Tessa Thompson Annihilation casting after the jump.
TheWrapreports Thompson is in early talks forAnnihilation, which shoots this spring. Based on the novel byJeff VanderMeer, the sci-fi pic “follows a group of women who take on a dangerous mission where the laws of nature don’t apply.” Portman plays the narrator, a biologist. Other characters include an anthropologist, a surveyor, and a psychologist.
Thompson’s been kicking around Hollywood for about a decade now, working steadily on shows likeVeronica Mars,Hidden Palms,666 Park Avenue, andCopper, and films likeWhen a Stranger CallsandFor Colored Girls. But her career’s really started to take off in the past couple of years. Shemade a splashin 2014’sDear White People, appeared in the star-studdedSelmathat same year, and then had her biggest mainstream hit yet last year withCreed.
And you can expect she’ll continue to blow up. Thompson will next be seen in HBO’sWestworld, and she also has a role inWar on Everyone, the upcoming comedy fromThe GuardandCalvarydirector John Michael McDonagh. Not to mention we can probably expect her back for anyCreedsequels that may or may not be planned for the future.
Garland seems to have a knack for scooping up talents on the cusp of superstardom. He recruited Isaac and Gleeson forEx MachinabeforeStar Warsturned them into household names, and Vikander just as she was breaking through in the U.S.Annihilation’s Portman is a more established star, butJane the Virgin’s Rodriguez is still rising – she was recently the subject ofStar Warsrumors, which is basically a rite of passage for actors on their way up.
On the flip side, it’s no wonder so many promising talents are eager to work with Garland.Ex Machina, besides being an elegantly shot, intelligently plotted thriller, was a great showcase for its three leads. And Garland certainly knows what he’s doing with sci-fi — he’s scripted some of our favorite genre titles of the past few years, including28 Days Later,Sunshine,Never Let Me Go, andDredd.
Scott Rudinis producingAnnihilation, which is set up at Paramount. No release date has been announced.
