With production on The Wolverine set to begin next month in Japan, Fox couldn't afford to sit around long after talks with Jessica Biel quickly broke down. So it should come as no surprise how how fast they found her replacement, with Russian actress Svetlana Khodchenkova closing in on a deal.
Twitch has the story, saying that Khodchenkova should be signed, sealed, and delivered shortly. She'll be taking on the role of Viper, a villain who has crossed paths with not only Wolverine(Hugh Jackman), but also has Captain America and S.H.I.E.L.D. Wolverine first encounters her as she's attempting to murder his lover, Mariko Yashida(Tao Okamoto). In the comics, she's also one of the leaders of the terrorist organization known as Hydra, and at one point blackmails Wolverine into marrying her. Khodchenkova is probably best known for playing Irina in Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy. I don't know much about her, but based on how she looks on the cover of Playboy, she's obviously in pretty good shape.
Directed by James Mangold, The Wolverine opens next year on July 26th.
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