'Elite Squad' Star Wagner Moura Set for Neill Blomkamp's 'Elysium'

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Wagner Moura, the Brazilian actor who starred to great acclaim in the South American country's Elite Squad crime thrillers, will make his Hollywood debut playing the villain in Neill Blomkamp's Elysium.

Matt Damon, Sharlto Copley and Jodie Foster are toplining the sci-fi project, being made by MRC. Sony picked up the rights to distribute project in January, eying a late 2012 release.

Not much is known about the plot, although the setting is a future world. Social class figures into this world, and Damon's character is an ex-con.

Moura will play the film's powerful villain, described as having a crazy sense of humor.

Moura came to Hollywood's attention playing the conflicted and well-intentioned Captain Nascimento in the Elite Squad movies, directed by Jose Padilha. The first movie won the Golden Bear Award at the 2008 Berlin Film Festival while the second one holds the record for box office gross in Brazil, beating out even Hollywood fare.

Heat Vision was tracking Moura's involvement but kudos to Latino Review for beating us to the punch.