Kate Winslet May Be Divergent’s Newest Cast Member

The Academy Award winning actress, Kate Winslet, may be joining the cast of Summit’s new dystopian franchise, Divergent, with Neil Burger as the movie’s director. Currently, the only actress attached to the project is Shailene Woodley, who will be playing the film’s protagonist, Beatrice Prior, a.k.a Tris. Burger’s adaptation is based on the best-selling young adult novel by Veronica Roth, a novel that has been compared to Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games.

Divergent is set in a futuristic, dystopian world, where Chicago has been split into five different factions based on particular virtues, peace (Amity), selflessness (Abnegation), honesty (Candor), intelligence (Erudite) and bravery (Dauntless). At the age of sixteen, the inhabitants of Chicago must take an aptitude test and choose which faction they’ll live in for the rest of their lives, in order to ensure peace and stability among their citizens. The story follows Tris, who must choose between her family’s faction and the faction that fits her values, while falling in love and keeping a deadly secret, one that might disrupt the society’s organization.

Winslet, who has given strong performances in movies such as Titanic, The Reader, Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind and many more, has never been linked to a movie franchise but there are two characters that the actress is likely to portray.

The first character is Tris’ mother, Natalie Prior, who gets a couple of scenes in the book, nothing really major. The second character, which I’m almost certain Winslet will play, is Jeanine Matthews, especially given the character’s age. Jeanine Matthews is the leader of the Erudite clan and one of the most powerful women in the government of this dystopian society.

Divergent is still in its pre-production stage, with a screenplay written by Evan Daugherty, the screenwriter of Snow White and the Huntsman, and Vanessa Taylor, who was involved with Hope Springs and the popular TV show, Game of Thrones.

Divergent is expected to hit theatres on March 21^st, 2014. Until then, we will keep you updated as we get more information.

In the meantime, what do you think of Kate Winslet starring in the movie? Are you happy about this new development? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.