The high-profile dark fantasy A Monster Calls, from The Impossible director J.A. Bayona, just added Sigourney Weaver to its cast. The Aliens actress joins the already-attached Liam Neeson and Felicity Jones in the adaptation of Patrick Ness’ award-winning children’s fantasy novel (which in turn was based on an idea from the late Siobhan Dowd).
The film will focus on a young boy (still uncast) who attempts to deal with bullying at school and his mother’s (Jones) cancer diagnosis by retreating into a fantasy world full of dark and dangerous creatures. When the most fearsome of the creatures (voiced by Neeson) follows the boy back into the real world, the two begin an exchange of stories, with potentially devastating consequences.
Weaver will take on the role of the boy’s grandmother, with whom he is to live once his mother succumbs to the cancer. The character is described as a “no-nonsense” woman.
The actress has been very of late. She recently finished shooting Chappie, District 9 director Neill Blomkamp’s latest film, and she’s also set for a major role in Ridley Scott’s Exodus: Gods and Kings. After that, Weaver is set to start shooting three Avatar sequels for James Cameron next year, though she’ll likely have time to fit in what sounds like a relatively small role in A Monster Calls, which opens on October 14th, 2016.
