Rooney Mara will be 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo'

After months of speculation over one of the most buzzed about casting choices in recent history, Sony has announced that actress Rooney Mara will play Lisbeth Salander in David Fincher's English-language version of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo."

Mara, whose most notable credit so far is "A Nightmare on Elm Street," has already worked with Fincher on this fall's "The Social Network."

The 24-year-old had been rumored to be in running for the part, up against other relative newcomers such as French actress Léa Seydoux and Australian actresses Sarah Snook and Sophie Lowe.

Mara will star opposite Daniel Craig in three films adapted from author Stieg Larsson's "The Millennium Trilogy," which also include "The Girl Who Played With Fire" and "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest." Shooting commences in September in Sweden, Sony announced Monday. The first film will be released in December 2011.

As my colleague Steven Zeitchik noted recently, the leading role in the trilogy is a challenging part. “Salander is a raven-haired beauty who's at once fierce and vulnerable,” he wrote, “someone who betrays some serious emotional damage but who also can be the tough girl when it counts.”

It’s difficult to judge how Mara may fare in the role. Most of the reviews for the “Elm Street” reboot earlier this year were left largely without mention of her. But take what you will from this April assessment by Robert Abele in the Times, which said of Mara and her young male costar, Kyle Gallner: “[they were] cast out of the Kristen Stewart-Robert Pattinson school of pasty, glum adolescence.”

-- Amy Kaufman

[For the record, 5:49 p.m.: A previous version of this post gave the title of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" as "The Nightmare on Elm Street."]

Twitter.com/AmyKinLA

Photo: Rooney Mara. Credit: Merrick Morton.

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Comments

[AndreaU8]

Hollywood will figure out a way to ruin the story. The original Swedish movie is quite good.

[melissa]

why are they even making another movie? One JUST came out...

[EWR04976]

Why do they think we need (or want!!) an English language remake? The Swedish film was spot-on!

[HankyPanky]

I pity anyone doing an American make over of the Millennium Trilogy. It is rare indeed that a good foreign movie translates well. A recent example is No Reservations. Much as I like Katherine Zeta-Jones a lot,but she could not save the movie. It paled in comparison with Mostly Martha. Wings of Desire was much much better than City of Angels. I have no intention of seeing this make over. Too bad for its actors

[Albert]

No doubt the English-language remake will stink! I just saw the Swedish version on Netflix and loved it! It came very close to the book.

[petey]

Her given name is Patty. But, I guess you would go by 'Rooney Mara' too, if your great-grandfathers were Pittsburgh Steelers founder Art Rooney, Sr. and New York Giants founder Tim Mara.

[Laer Carroll]

So far a bunch of uninformed, opinionated comments. The answer to the question "Will it be a good movie?' is - it depends. On the director, screenplay writer, and actors.

I have no interest in seeing a film in Swedish. I hate subtitles. I have no interest in the book. So I'll be interested in seeing the movie. Which is the right time to decide if it's a good one.

[Kat]

Noomi Rapace, the Lisbeth in the Swedish films, is so extraordinary, so phenomenal and perfect, that she will be, for me, unforgettable. I've seen two of the Swedish films so far and loved them. Not sure an "Americanization" of Larsson's Millennium Trilogy is necessary. That said, the casting by Fincher so far is spot on: Daniel Craig and Robin Wright. So, we shall see. I read they may do "Swedish" accents. Lordy, not a good idea. Let the actors speak however they normally speak, always a better idea! Best of luck to Rooney (love her name), but she's got a major shadow in Noomi Rapace, to step out from under.

[don kehote]

.....what a shame that our creative artist have to copycat an existing movie, but i guess it is all about $$$$...in that case i hope they lose their $sses....the swedish actress played the role to perfection, to bad hollywood doesn't have the talent to match.....

[Steve I.]

After the first film I was appalled that there was going to be Hollywood remakes, but the second film was so terrible I'm glad it's going to be remade - the Swedes really dropped the ball on that one. I hope 'Hollywood' gets it right.

[Gk]

Impossible, Noomi Rapace is already the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I've seen the Let the Right One In remake and it's awful... I can only imagine the horrors that Hollywood will wreak upon this wonderful film.

[mfm]

The Swedish version is one of the worst movies I have ever seen--especially after reading and enjoying all three books. Just plain drivel. Like a Movie of the Week out of the 1970's. Can't wait for Fincher's version. I guess if you slap "Foreign" on it, folks will think it's the next Ingmar Bergman film.

[JD]

So, I just finished reading "The girl with the Dragon Tattoo." Anybody else as incredibly underwhelmed as I was?

[Laer Carroll]

Uh, Gk, how could you have seen a "Let the Right One In" remake when it hasn't been remade yet?

[Tish]

They shouldn't remake the one that was JUST MADE! The girl who played Lisbeth was fantastic. The rest of the cast was good as well. There is no reason that there should be a remake so soon of an already good movie. Show some class and watch it with subtitles. I promise, it doesn't take anything away.

[Alfredo]

Hi, from Peru. I just want to say that this is not going to be a "remake" of the swedish film, it's going to be an adaptation of the book. Is like saying that that every Hamlet on film is a remake of the las t Hamlet film.

[blah]

While the "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" was an awesome movie, the latter two movies weren't all that good in comparison.

The Swedish versions switched directors and it is evident in the produciton, the first was a quality movie while the latter two seemed like tv movies. With Fincher on board for all three one would hope there will be a stronger consistency.

As for Naomi she was initially denied the part due to her girlish demenar but after showing a strong commitment was given the part. Mara could be good if she throws herself into emotionally and also hits the gym quite a bit.

Hope they turn out good.

[Lewis]

I don't really see the casting of Mara. Maybe best in choice after the movie is edited to rental for the teens.I don't see Fincher doing the other 2 movies. And Mara is almost 26 not 24.She is casted in "Goats" after this film.Most likely by the time the Hornets Nest comes up she will be 30 and will back out of it.

[SleepingWolf]

They are doing one so people can actually hear the words and not have to read the movie. Some people want to enjoy the movie instead of having to spend the whole time reading.