We've seen Ellen Page in a number of action-oriented films, in particular Bryan Singer's X-men films, James Gunn's Super, and Christopher Nolan's Inception, but rarely has she been the focal point of that action. That is about to change in a major way as she's just signed on to headline an adaptation of Greg Rucka's espionage comic, Queen & Country.
Long in the works, the film has been in various stages of limbo but 20th Century Fox appear ready to finally move on it, setting Page in the lead role of British SIS agent Tara Chace. The series, which began in 2001 and ran through 2007, followed Chace and her special operatives known as "Minders" as they thwarted terrorist plots while dealing the politics and bureaucracy that made their jobs more difficult. The series stood out from other spy comics because of the realistic portrayal of the Black Ops world, so a film version would be something of a cross between James Bond and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Many have taken a stab at the script, with Ryan Condal penning the most recent version after John Rogers and Rucka gave it a shot, hence the long development process. The plan would be to build a franchise for Page to be the centerpiece of, and while it may seem like an unlikely spot for her to be in, she does have a long run of playing strong female characters. A director still needs to be found, but with Page on board that should be a breeze. [THR]
