Jason Matthews' spy novel Red Sparrow has never had a problem attracting big Hollywood talent wanting to bring it to the screen. David Fincher and Rooney Mara had hoped to make it their third collaboration after The Social Network and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. That fell through, however, and most recently it was another duo, Jennifer Lawrence and The Hunger Games sequel director Francis Lawrence who entered talks for it. And it looks like a deal has come through because now Joel Edgerton is on the verge of joining them.
Deadline reports Edgerton has entered talks for the film, which was originally penned by Eric Warren Singer (American Hustle) followed most recently by Justin Haythe (The Lone Ranger). Lawrence is set to play Russian agent Dominika Egorova, known as a "Sparrow" due to her trained skills in the art of seduction, which she is assigned to use against CIA officer Nathaniel Nash, presumably Edgerton's role. But the two end up falling in love, a union that could put both of their agencies in danger.
Edgerton, who had a successful directorial debut last year with The Gift, is aimed squarely at the awards season as part of Jeff Nichols' interracial marriage drama, Loving. He's got some other projects on the way, as well, as do both Lawrences, and until that is ironed out we won't know when shooting can take place.
