Report: Daniel Craig signs on to star in 'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo'

Daniel Craig has inked a deal with Sony to play Mikael Blomkvist in the American version of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," Deadline Hollywood reports. The agreement reportedly includes options for two sequels -- films to be based on the other books in the late Stieg Larsson's bestselling trilogy. 

Craig appeared with Harrison Ford on Saturday at Comic-Con 2010 in San Diego, delivering, according to Geoff Boucher at Hero Complex, "the nerdvana sight of James Bond and Han Solo side-by-side."

The new trilogy means Craig has almost enough franchises in hand to consider himself a chain: Blomkvist joins James Bond and, with some luck, Zeke Johnson of "Cowboys & Indians" in the actor's stable of recurring characters.

The Ministry is pleased to use this news to present you with a large picture of, you know, Daniel Craig. And his forearms.

You're welcome.

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Photo: Daniel Craig walks onstage for the "Cowboys & Aliens" panel discussion during Comic-Con on July 24, 2010, in San Diego. Credit: Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Related dispatches from the Ministry of Gossip:

Report: Daniel Craig in talks for 'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' (but that's sort of incidental)

Star sightings: Daniel Craig hits gay beach bar, Kim K learns to DJ

And one for the Stieg Larsson fans -- check out a picture gallery of things hot and Swedish:

Elin Nordegren, Tiger Woods and the lawyering of independence [poll]

In the mood for some gratuitous beefcake and cheesecake? We have you covered -- and others, ahem, uncovered.

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Comments

[Kris]

Excellent choice for Blomkvist. Now, they'll ruin everything by selecting some drippy American actress to play Salander. Just you watch.

[Nils]

Another chance for Hollywood to screw up yet another perfectly good original film , dumb it down and generally be lazy without a real new idea among them . The chant of " remake , made for morons " echoes like Nikita , True Grit , War of the Worlds etc etc ! Go see them when released in Swedish with subtitles and boycott yet another B. S. studio exec's laziness .

[Southoc]

Did his abs sign up too?

[Tee]

nice

[Louie V]

god this guy is horrible

[Louie V]

censor me author

[abcsgs]

Why!? The original movie is phenomenal! Does NOT need to be remade. Really?! Are they so out of original ideas??

[eholiver]

Way too fit!!!

[Rick]

The Americans keep stealing from overseas, I highly recommend everybody to watch the Swedish originals just so you can see how the hollywoodification of thrillers fail.

[Patricia]

They had to hire a Brit because although the story takes place in Sweden, the characters will all speak English. They won't sound foreign to Americans unless they speak their English with good British accents.

[Gary]

Why would Hollywood remake this movie (and "Let the Right One In") ?

Both did great in Sweden, but had no business internationally. Although they're very good, they don't match the American taste. "Let Me In" will be fine financially since it has nobody but unless Daniel Craig is working for scale and the producers add explosions and car chases, "Girl" will flop. Craig is not bankable outside of Bond.

Americans enjoy movies, Europeans enjoy cinema. No need to mix or transform either.

Above said, I would watch "Girl" if the producers hire Ellen Page and get a trainer to harden her up - i.e., chisel those chipmunk cheeks.

[Taken]

NOOOOOOOO! WHY NOT LIAM NEELSON???

[Kim]

Brilliant! As soon as I started reading the books I could see DC as Kalle Blomkvist. Inspired casting by Fincher. And with Fincher directing it should be a good remake, after all he made The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. He just needs to find the right actress to play Salander & not change the setting from Sweden. If all that happens, it should be a great remake.

[tia]

An OK choice. Craig sends gay vibes. Ed Harris would have been a better choice. Harris is not that old and he is intelligently sexy.