Deadline is reporting that seemingly every young actress in Hollywood is in pursuing a role in David Fincher’s upcoming adaptation “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.” The aforementioned Carey Mulligan who’s been loosely connected to the role for a while, plus Ellen Page, Kristen Stewart, Mia Wasikowska, Natalie Portman, Keira Knightley, Anne Hathaway, Olivia Thirlby, and Scarlett Johansson are all apparently interested in the lead part of Lisbeth Salander with Mulligan apparently having taken writer and executive producer Steve Zaillian out to lunch and Ellen Page writing producer Scott Rudin a personal note.
But, we have to call shenanigans on at least part of this list. While Kristen Stewart is probably interested in the role, with ‘Dragon Tattoo’ set to being production in October it puts it in direct conflict with “Breaking Dawn.” Never going to happen, so scratch her off now.
As for the rest of the supposed contenders we have no doubt they’re interested, but again we have to stress: according to our sources, the script isn’t finished yet so no offers are close to being made and Fincher is still deciding if he wants to cast an unknown in the lead. According to Nikke Finke’s source he “is not sure if he wants to go with an actress of any note or go with an unknown” — which is what we’ve said since day one — but, does want whoever plays Lisbeth Salander to have “authenticity and a degree of fierceness and believability capable of delivering the intensity that the part on the page calls for.” According to Finke’s sources “Sony execs think the bestseller itself is such a phenom, and the material so exciting, that the twentysomething female lead doesn’t need a name.” That being said, they are hoping Brad Pitt — who we first reported in conjunction with this project (no, really) — does re-team with Fincher and take the lead male role. They are waiting by the phone.
That said, with stars putting pressure on the producers of the film those conversations will certainly trickle down to Fincher and from a studio perspective, they will probably be more comfortable with a star in the lead so it will be interesting to see how this plays out. As we previously reported, Fincher is currently checking out locations in Sweden where he plans to shoot the film in October, with studio work being handled wherever the tax breaks are best. But again, until Zaillian types THE END all casting rumors are pure speculation at this point.
–Written by Kevin Jagernauth