Zendaya, Maika Monroe & more among finalists for lead in Alita: Battle Angel

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Although I'm not overly familiar with ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL, I am aware that fans have been waiting for this film for quite some time. James Cameron has been talking about ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL for many years, and while it was assumed that he would be directing the film, he recently handed those duties over to Robert Rodriguez. Development on the project seems to be steadily moving forward as THR reports that James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez are zeroing in on their ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL star.

The outlet reports that Zendaya (SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING), Maika Monroe (IT FOLLOWS), and Rosa Salazar (MAZE RUNNER: THE SCORCH TRIALS) have all tested for the film, with Justin Kroll of Variety adding that Bella Thorne (AMITYVILLE: THE AWAKENING) is also one of the finalists. A decision on which actress will take home the role will likely be made in the coming weeks. ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL is set up at Fox but hasn't yet received a green-light as the studio is hoping to bring the films budget down from the $175-$200 million range.

An ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL synopsis:

Set in the 26th century, ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL tells the story of Alita, an amnesiac female cyborg who is rescued from a scrapyard by a doctor. The rebuilt Alita, remembering only her training in a deadly martial art, becomes a hunter-warrior, tracking down and eliminating vicious criminals. Within the context of an epic action-adventure, the film will explore a young woman’s journey of self-discovery and finding love.

As for why James Cameron won't be helming ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL himself, you can direct your blame towards the four AVATAR sequels he has in the works. Cameron will still remain very involved with ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL however, and he has high praise for Robert Rodriguez, saying that "this project is near and dear to me, and there’s nobody I trust more than Robert, with his technical virtuosity and rebel style, to take over the directing reins. We’re looking forward to learning a lot from each other while we make a kick-ass epic." The four AVATAR sequels will be filmed simultaneously, with release dates in December 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2023, respectively. That's an awful lot of blue rabbits knocking boots.

Which of these actresses would be the best fit for the role?