Deadline is reporting that Hayley Atwell, who broke out on the American scene this year in Captain America, has been cast as the female lead in Pearry Teo‘s Captain Nemo. The 3D sequel to 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, which will be shot on stage with green screen, hopes to start shooting January 16th.
Atwell will play Sara, the female lead, alongside David Morrissey who will play Sara’s uncle, “the chief adviser to President Ulysses S. Grant, who frees Nemo from prison to try and discover why mysterious sea monsters are sinking ships up and down the Atlantic Coast.” Downton Abbey‘s Hugh Bonneville will star as Nemo.
The only possibility that could keep Atwell from the project is if she scores the second lead in Joseph Kosinski’s Horizons, in which she is competing against Diane Kruger and Kate Beckinsale. However, with that not gearing up to shoot until the summer of 2012, you would think that she’d have time to do both.
Either way, whether she stays on board or not, we’ll be sure to keep you updated.