Summit Entertainment is betting big on Divergent to be their new Twilight, and they’re now busy filling out the cast for the film. Shailene Woodley, Kate Winslet, Maggie Q, Zoë Kravitz, and Ansel Elgort are already set for the movie, and they’ve now been joined by Die Hard 5’s Jai Courtney, according to Deadline.
The film is based on Veronica Roth novel, which depicts a futuristic America that is divided into five factions: selflessness (Abnegation), peacefulness (Amity), honesty (Candor), bravery (Dauntless), and intelligence (Erudite). At the age of 16, each citizen must choose which trait they want to devote the rest of their lives to.
Courtney is set to play the leader of the Dauntless tribe, who’s called Eric. He serves as one of the primary antagonists for Shailene Woodley’s Beatrice ‘Tris’ Prior, who struggles with the Dauntless initiation when she makes a powerful discovery about her hidden strength, and uncovers a conspiracy to destroy all people like her. In the book Eric is described as having multiple facial piercings, although it’s not known if this will follow through into the movie.
Neil Burger is directing from an adapted screenplay by Evan Daugherty (Snow White and the Huntsman).