Just months afterOlivia Cookewas chosen as the female lead inSteven Spielberg’sReady Player One, the casting process has shifted to find thevillain. The Hollywood Reporter reveals thatRogue One: A Star Wars StoryactorBen Mendelsohnis in early talks to portray the main antagonist in this adaptation ofErnest Cline’s heralded sci-fi novel. Warner Bros. wouldn’t comment on the story, but negotiations are said to be in the very early stages.
Warner Bros. acquired the rights toReady Player Oneback in 2010, two years before the book was actually published. The story centers on a teenager named Wade Watts, who becomes obsessed with a virtual reality world known as Oasis, that allows players to live out their fantasies. After the game’s creator suddenly dies, an elaborate treasure hunt is held within the Oasis world, with the winner emerging to take control of the entire company.
Along with gamers from around the world, Wade joins the adventure, and quickly finds himself pitted against powerful corporate foes and other ruthless competitors who will do anything, in the oasis or the real world, to reach the treasure first.Olivia Cookewill play Sam, a Canadian blogger who is known in the Oasis world as Art3mis, and will become alove interestfor the lead character. Ben Mendelsohn is playing the executive of an Internet company who is trying to take control of Oasis.
Steven Spielbergis directing from a screenplay byZak Penn(Marvel’s The Avengers), with the director also producing alongside Donald De Line, Dan Farah and Kristie Macosko Krieger. The project will be the filmmaker’s first at Warner Bros. since 2001’sA.I.: Artificial Intelligence. It isn’t known when production will begin yet, but Warner Bros.' has already set a August 18, 2025 release date.
Ben Mendelsohnmost recently starred inSlow West,Mississippi Grindand the critically-acclaimed Netflix TV seriesBloodline. He will next be seen inRogue One: A Star Wars Story, which is set for release on December 16. What do you think aboutBen Mendelsohnplaying the villain inReady Player One?
