Young actress in talks for female lead.
Variety reports that Hailee Steinfeld is in negotiations play the female lead opposite Asa Butterfield (‘Hugo,’ ‘The Boy in the Striped Pajamas’) in ‘Ender’s Game.’
Butterfield will playing the title character, Andrew ‘Ender’ Wiggins, a gifted young gamer skilled in strategy and logistics who is recruited by the government to help battle an insect-like alien race known as The Formics.
‘True Grit’ star Steinfeld would be playing Petra Arkanian, the only girl in the Salamander Army who befriends Ender, becoming his ally and trusted right hand.
As previously reported, the project is currently trying to cast the adult lead of Colonel Hyrum Graff. Producers are looking at a group of actors, including sci-fi vet Harrison Ford.
Gavin Hood (‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine,’ ‘Tsotsi’) is in the director’s chair, helming from his own script which is adapted from Orson Scott Card’s award-winning novel.