The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo franchise might be continuing on, but original Lisbeth Salander actress Rooney Mara is not sticking with it for any further movies. It looks as if all of those piercings and fake tattoos were for naught, as the Hollywood darling has moved on to bigger things and will be replaced by another brunette up-and-comer. According to The Wrap, Alicia Vikander is an early favorite to take the mantle of the damaged private investigator from Mara. Sony is also looking at an actor to replace Daniel Craig as the male lead, which opens up a plethora of interesting options to match up with Vikander.
Vikander is a rising star in the Hollywood system after appearing in such critically acclaimed films as Anna Karenina and A Royal Affair. This would definitely be a major shift in the type of role the actress is known for, trading in corsets for dyed hair and a motorcycle. There’s no question that Vikander can handle the heaviness of the material, especially after her turn as a murderous robot in this year’s Ex Machina. Plus, her intense stare is enough to make any criminal give up his secrets at the drop of a hat.
For fans of the original book trilogy, it’s important to note that Vikander’s potential debut as Salander would come in a film adaptation of The Girl In The Spider’s Web, the only book not written by Stieg Larsson himself but after Larsson’s death by David Lagercrantz. This could give Vikander all the more opportunity to lose herself in the role, as it is not a story that has been adapted at all in Sweden or in the US. A fresh slate for the franchise is the best move Sony could make right now after the lukewarm reaction to the first installment, and what better way to breathe new life into the series than with an actress about to be larger than life?
(via The Wrap)
