Kate Winslet isn't someone we usually identify with big franchise movies, mainly because she doesn't do them very often. She's had more than a handful of blockbusters, but for the most part she's remained tentpole free for the bulk of her career. So one would expect it takes something really special to lure her into that territory, and apparently she sees those qualities in Neil Burger's adaptation of Divergent.
Variety reports that Winslet is nearing a deal to co-star in the film, a planned trilogy based on Veronica Roth's young adult novels. Already set to star Shailene Woodley(The Descendants), the story takes place in a post-apocalyptic society in which humanity has divided itself into five factions of differing core values. Woodley plays 16-year old Beatrice, who discovers she's a rare breed that doesn't fit into any of the categories. It's unclear what role Winslet will play, and the only character I can see that makes sense is Beatrice's mother, Natalie. Vanessa Taylor(Game of Thrones) is rewriting the latest draft of the script, which is said to be in the same vein as The Hunger Games and includes lots of teen-on-teen violence. Sweet.Last we heard, Alex Pettyfer, Jeremy Irvine, and Lucas Till were vying for the male lead, presumably as Beatrice's instructor and lover Tobias Eaton, but the studio has decided to go older for the role so those names may be off the table. They might make for a better fit as her older brother, Caleb.
Divergent is expected to hit theaters on March 21st 2014.
