It’s never fun to lose — especially when you’re part of a loyal CIA black-ops squad that’s been hung out to dry by your employer. But Warner Bros. and Silver Pictures are planning to show you the upside of being on the short end of the stick with “The Losers,” the upcoming comic book movie that has just added two new recruits to its cast.
The Hollywood Reporter confirms yesterday’s rumors that Idris Elba will star as Roque in the Sylvain White-directed “The Losers,” based on the DC/Vertigo series. Also joining Elba is Zoe Saldana as the cold-blooded Aisha, the lone female “loser.”
Elba is perhaps best known as the ruthless drug dealer Stringer Bell on “The Wire,” though he previously shared screen time with rumored “Losers” contender Jeremy Renner in “28 Weeks Later.” Saldana, of course, will be seen in this summer’s “Star Trek” revival alongside Chris Pine, the new Captain Kirk and would-be Hal Jordan.
In addition to Elba and Saldana, “The Losers” has already recruited Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Clay and Columbus Short as Pooch. If the rumored involvement of Jeremy Renner turns out to be true — the actor says he wants to play Jensen, the team’s wise-cracking hacker — then the only remaining role on the squad belongs to Cougar, the cowboy hat-wearing sharpshooter. The villainous role of Max has also yet to be cast.
This is good news as Elba is a great actor..Stringer Bell was one of my favorite characters on "The Wire". And though i havnt seen Saldana in anything yet..well, look at her!
Im not too familiar with this comic myself but i will certainly pick up a few issues when i can. Most Vertigo titles are at the very least worth a look. The imprint is currently on a live-action roll with the attachment of Sam Mendes to “Preacher,” the announcement of a “Fables” television series and now the fast-tracked movement on a “Losers” adaptation. But with the box office disappointment of “Watchmen” potentially weening Warner Bros. away from R-rated superhero films, will the studio act the same way towards other, more mature comic book genres?
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.