Jackie Earle Haley has signed on to join the cast of Alita: Battle Angel, James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez’s ambitious adaptation of the popular manga graphic novels.
Fox is moving toward a fall start and is casting up the large-budget sci-fi project, which has Maze Runner actress Rosa Salazar on board to play the title character, as well as Christoph Waltz.
Rodriguez is directing, while Cameron and his Lightstorm Entertainment partner Jon Landau are producing.
Set in the 26th century, Alita tells of a female cyborg (Salazar) that is discovered in a scrapyard by a scientist. With no memory of her previous life except her deadly martial-arts training, the woman becomes a bounty hunter, tracking down criminals. The action-adventure story is meant to serve as a backdrop to themes of self-discovery and the search for love.
Sources were light on character information, but it is believed Haley will play a monstrous cyborg in a villain role that will call for plenty of CG and greenscreen.
An October production start in Austin is being targeted.
Haley is coming off a notable run on AMC’s Preacher and recently wrapped Sony’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower with Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. He next will be seen in the much-talked-about slave revolt drama The Birth of a Nation.
Haley is repped by Gersh.
