Naomi Watts will join the cast of Divergent for the next three films in the science fiction saga, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The British-Australian actor will play Evelyn, leader of the Factionless, in the dystopian film series’ second installment, Insurgent, as well as two sequels. This year’s saga opener, Divergent, managed a decent haul of $267 million (Dh980.7 million) worldwide.
Studio Lionsgate has confirmed three follow-up movies based on Veronica Roth’s bestselling young adult novels about a society divided into five factions, based on personality type. Insurgent will follow in 2015, with two films based on Roth’s final novel Allegiant debuting in 2016 and 2017.
Divergent cast members Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ansel Elgort, Kate Winslet and Miles Teller will all return for Insurgent, which began shooting last week in Atlanta. Robert Schwentke replaces Neil Burger as director, working from a script by Brian Duffield and Akiva Goldsman.
Watts’ most recent film to hit cinemas was the poorly-received Princess Diana biopic Diana. Her Divergent role sees the Kent-born Oscar-nominee taking on big-budget genre fare for the first time since 2005’s Peter Jackson fantasy remake King Kong.
