With the first film adaptation of Veronica Roth’s Divergent book series having earned over $267 million at the box office since March, it comes as no surprise that the sequel – Insurgent – is already in production in Atlanta. Divergent stars Shailene Woodley and Theo James return, along with Jai Courtney, Kate Winslet, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller and Zoe Kravitz. That list of talent will now be joined by Rosa Salazar – previously of Parenthood fame – as she continues to stage her own insurgency onto the big screen.
Following on from the setting and events of Divergent – in which citizens are divided into groups based on aspects of their personality, values and virtues – Insurgent sees Woodley and James become fugitives intent on uncovering the truth about their families, and consequently, the implications of that truth on their current lives. The adapted script is by Akiva Goldsman and Brian Duffield, with Robert Schwentke at the helm. Schwentke – who previously directed Flightplan, RED and R.I.P.D, among others – is new to the fledgling franchise, since Divergent was directed by Neil Burger. He is, however, already confirmed for the third instalment in the series – Allegiant: Part 1 – which is set for a 2016 release date.
Schwentke and Salazar are not the only new faces in this Young Adult series. Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer also joins the cast, along with Suki Waterhouse, Naomi Watts, Daniel Dae Kim, and Jonny Weston. Their roles are as yet unclear, but Salazar will take the role of Lynn – a young, shaven-headed citizen of this manufactured and manipulated society.
Insurgent is currently scheduled for release on March 20 2015, by which time, we will have seen another three projects featuring Salazar appear on our screens – both big and small. Those new productions – The Pro, Search Party and Night Owls – are in addition to Jamesy Boy and May The Best Man Win, which were released in the first half of 2014. It seems that, with her place secured in the next big teen movie franchise, the future is exceedingly bright for Rosa Salazar.
