Chris McQuarrie has picked the actress to star opposite Tom Cruise in high-octane crime actioner One Shot. “English Rose” Rosamund Pike beat out actresses Hayley Atwell (Captain America) and Alexa Davalos (Clash of the Titans) for the role after brainy writer-actress Brit Marling turned down the gig. It will be up to Pike to turn this into a star-making role. Poor Davalos: she not only loses this gig, but Pike is replacing her in the Titans sequel!
From playing the sweetly doting sister in 2005’s Pride and Prejudice and Carey Mulligan’s daffy gal pal in 2009’s An Education, Pike displayed her endearing and soulful side in 2010’s Barney’s Version (trailer posted below), and shows her comedy chops opposite Rowan Atkinson in the upcoming Johnny English Reborn. UPDATE: She also played a Bond girl in 2002’s Die Another Day.
One Shot is based on Lee Child’s action novel about Jack Reacher, a drifter with a history as a military policeman famous for his hulking blond physique–Cruise with his slight build is controversial casting for fans of the book. Opposite Cruise, Pike will play a local defense attorney defending the serial sniper who Reacher is trying to prosecute. Christopher McQuarrie will direct; McQuarrie won a Best Screenwriting Oscar for 1996’s The Usual Suspects.
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