Who Else Could Play Selene?

On the heels of news regarding a fifth Underworld feature being written, more news comes of a whole new re-boot of the series as a whole! The Hollywood Reporter says Gary Goodman (who wrote the screenplay for Priest) has been hired for the job. Of course this might be a mistake–perhaps Goodman is working (or was going to to work) on the latest in the series. Or Lakeshore Entertainment, which owns the franchise, is thinking long-term for both a new film as well as a re-boot!

Either way, a re-boot of Underworld seems eminently possible, if not next year then sometime between now and A.D. 2020. Which offers a fun source of speculation–who might play Selene in such a series? Here are some possibilities…

character-breakdown-katniss-everdeen-L-YbNzcZStart with Jennifer Lawrence! The star of such films as The Hunger Games and X-Men: Days of Future Past has shown she has the acting chops to pull it off (Kate Beckinsale sometimes doesn’t get credit for the fine performances she gave in the role, apart from the stunts) as well a fierce power in action scenes.  Lawrence herself comes across as a bubbly, cheerful person in real life, which comes as something of a surprise to those who’ve seen her play angst-laden freedom fighters.  An  interesting detail is that she’s young enough to remain in the running for the part should a reboot happen anytime in the next decade–and she might add a quality less associated with Selene than usual. Vulnerability. Yeah, the story inherently has a lot of kick-ass action and a techno-goth sensibility we all enjoyed. But it was also a personal journey for Selene, literally a living (or undead) killing machine who finds something more than destruction to value, to embrace, to become the center of her life. Beckinsale carried that off, and any future actress to portray the part will hopefully do the same.

Chloe-Moretz_1111-1Consider also Chloe Grace Moretz, who of course has played both a vampire (in Let Me In) and a werewolf (in Dark Shadows) before! Within a year or so she’ll be of legal age, and in the meantime has already shown considerable skill at combat and stunts! Remember she convinced us she could at least take on the Dark Knight and hold her own when she was all of twelve years old! Few and far between have been any criticisms of her performances, even in motion pictures disliked by reviewers. To be honest, she’s also at that stage in  her career where she’s looking for a break-out adult role, to be seen as something other than a child actor. For Winona Ryder this was Bram Stoker’s Dracula. For her it could be her second foray into the undead. Although–it remains possible the young lady in question has this check-list of supernatural entities she plans on portraying, and having just done a ghost, perhaps witch or outer space alien or actual demon is next up!

Hanna-international-movie-trailerAnother young actress who, like Moretz, has played both vampire and underage killing machine, is Saoirse Ronan (pronounced SIR-shah RO-nan). She was the crimson clad teen vamp in Neil Jordan’s Byzantium as well as the underage female version of Jason Bourne in Hannah. Likewise she’s been rightly hailed as a performer of great skill and talent–starting as far back at least as Atonement when she very nearly stole a film from Keira Knightly and Ewan MacGregor! No small feat! Twilight fans might also feel some extra attachment to her casting because she starred in The Host.

Emma-Watson-Photoshoot-at-James-Houst-for-Natural-Beauty-2013-1280x960Finally, there’s the fun possibility of Emma Watson, still best known as Hermione Granger of Harry Potter fame but who has been steadily working at a series of other films playing a variety of different character types. Fact is, most actors look to play lots of parts, preferably looking for something new. Watson might well relish the chance to a vampire action hero who falls in love with an enemy werewolf! Well, honestly who wouldn’t?

Of course all this largely depends upon whether Underworld is indeed being rebooted. But then, there’s also the fact any of these talented young ladies might just as easily be considered for Eve, daughter of super-vamp Selene and her hybrid lover Michael. Either way, what do you think of these choices? Do you have a preference? Or would you like to “nominate” someone else?

By david

David MacDowell Blue blogs at Night Tinted Glasses.  He graduated from the National Shakespeare Conservatory and is the author of The Annotated Carmilla. and Your Vampire Story (And How to Write It) as well as a theatrical adaptation of Carmilla.

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