"From Dusk Till Dawn" actress Eiza Gonzalez and "Spider-Man: Homecoming" actor Jorge Lendeborg Jr. join the cast of James Cameron's "Alita: Battle Angel." The manga adaptation seems to enlist newcomers to join its growing ranks.
Gonzalez is going to play in an undisclosed role in "Alita: Battle Angel." According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lendeborg will play the cunning and sly friend of Hugo ("Nashville" actor Keean Johnson). Rosa Salazar will star as the cyborg.
"Alita: Battle Angel" is based on an adaptation of the popular manga series from the writer Yukito Kishiro and is set in a 26th-century dystopian future, Variety reported. It follows an amnesiac cyborg that becomes a bounty hunter Alita.
In the plot of "Alita: Battle Angel," Alita was rescued from a scrap heap by a scientist Dr. Dyson Ido ("Spectre" villain Christoph Waltz) and then tracks down criminals. She wakes up with no memories of her past. Hugo will be her romantic interest.
Other cast members set to appear in "Alita: Battle Angel" are "Deadpool" villain Ed Skrein (Zapan), "RoboCop" actor Jackie Earle Haley (undisclosed role), and "Luke Cage" actor Mahershala Ali (Vector). "Matador" executive producer Robert Rodriguez is the director.
Cameron will produce "Alita: Battle Angel" with Jon Landau through his Lightstorm Entertainment banner. They are also currently in pre-production on four "Avatar" sequels. Cameron and Laeta Kalogridis also co-wrote the screenplay.
Rodriguez and Gonzalez already teamed up on the El Rey Network series "From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series," which is currently in its Season 3. Gonzalez can next be seen on screen in Edgar Wright's upcoming action comedy "Baby Drive" with Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, and Ansel Elgort. She is repped by CAA and Management 360.
Recently, Lendeborg landed a role in another big, upcoming blockbuster Sony/Marvel's "Spider-Man: Homecoming." He previously starred in the Sundance-selected coming-of-age feature "The Land." He is represented by Momentum and Mosaic.
The Fox action-adventure "Alita: Battle Angel" begins shooting this month in Austin. It has been set to release on July 20, 2018. It is expected to carry a budget between $175 million and $200 million.
Watch the video of Rosa Salazar in a lead role for "Alita: Battle Angel":