It looks like Steven Spielberg's on screen version of the popular novel Ready Player One might finally have its villain.
According to an exclusive in the Hollywood Reporter, unidentified sources divulged that Mendelsohn and studio execs had met to discuss the project and were in "early talks."
The role would not be a large stretch for Mendelsohn, who has largely made his name playing character actors and villains throughout his career. While the actor rose to prominence in Australia while in his teens, he was unknown to American audiences until last year: Mendelsohn got his big international break with the Netflix original show Bloodlines as Danny Rayburn, the black sheep of the Rayburn clan who returns home to escape his circumstances, only to find himself embroiled once again in tragedy.
The Spielberg adaptation of Ready Player One, which was announced this past August, is based on a dystopian sci-fi novel of the same name by author Ernest Cline. The book is set in the VR world of Oasis, where players go to escape the reality of their daily lives. However, when the founder of Oasis dies, his fortune is up for grabs — and the game takes a deadly turn.
So far, the only name official attached to the project is Bates Motel's Olivia Cooke, who is cast as Ar3mis in the upcoming film.
Warner Bros. did not respond to THR when asked to comment on the current casting status.
Ready Player One is scheduled to be released in 2017.
Photo: Eva Rinaldi | Flickr
