Olivia Thirlby will star opposite Karl Urban in DNA Films' 3D adaptation of "Judge Dredd," reports Variety.
The striking-looking "Juno" actress will play Cassandra Anderson, a telepathic rookie who shadows Dredd in the futuristic action movie, which is scheduled to begin production in South Africa later this year.
Thirlby is a talented young starlet on the rise — which is why "Judge Dredd" is the wrong move for her blossoming career. While it's certainly promising that she has elevated herself to the female lead of a fairly-anticipated action movie, I can't help but shake the feeling that with "Doom" star Urban in the lead role, this movie is, well, doomed.
Pete Travis ("Vantage Point") directs from a script by Alex Garland ("28 Days Later"), and while Garland is one of my favorite screenwriters, Travis' presence behind the camera isn't particularly encouraging, and "Judge Dredd" has always been more of a B-movie property anyways.
Stuart Ford's IM Global will be selling the $45 million project at the Toronto Film Festival next week.
DNA has Mark Romanek's "Never Let Me Go" screening at both the Telluride and Toronto fests before Fox Searchlight releases the film stateside on Sept. 15.
Thirlby recently wrapped a role as Natalie Portman's younger sister in Ivan Reitman's romantic comedy "No Strings." She's currently filming the Moscow-set alien invasion movie "The Darkest Hour" with Emile Hirsch, and she'll eventually be seen in Kenneth Lonergan's long-delayed drama "Margaret." The actress also has a recurring role as Jason Schwartzman's ex-girlfriend on HBO's "Bored to Death."
Thirlby is represented by 3 Arts Entertainment and Management 360.
