John Boyega is on the cusp of becoming an international superstar with his role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and he’s already picked a project to follow that up with. He has reportedly been cast in The Circle with Tom Hanks and Emma Watson.
Boyega, who landed on Hollywood’s radar with his performance in 2011’s Attack the Block, has been cast as Ty in the new James Ponsoldt film, reports Deadline. The character is the boy-wonder visionary behind The Circle, an Internet monopoly that has linked everyone’s information in one place. He begins a relationship with an employee (Watson) just as the dangers of the digital age become clear.
Watson joined the film in June after Alicia Vikander officially moved on. The young stars join Hanks, who is playing a mysterious older man.
The Circle is based on Dave Eggers’ novel and is being produced by Hanks and Gary Gotezman’s Playtone; Anthony Bregman’s Likely Story; Ponsoldt; and Walter Parkes and Laurie Macdonald of Parkes + MacDonald Image Nation. It is being financed by Image Nation Abu Dhabi.
Ponsoldt is best known as the director of The Spectacular Now and just directed The End of the Tour with Jason Segel as David Foster Wallace. The End of the Tour is now in theaters.
Boyega stars as Finn in The Force Awakens, which opens on Dec. 18. He’s a member of the young trio of new stars joining the Star Wars franchise, along with Oscar Isaac and Daisy Ridley.
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