As Legendary Pictures moves forward with development on Gareth Edwards’ new take on Godzilla, the company is starting to put casting feelers out. Aaron Taylor-Johnson has already been approached, and assuming he actually makes a deal, he may be joined by Argo’s Bryan Cranston and Martha Marcy May Marlene’s Elizabeth Olsen.

Right now, all casting talks are at an early stage, because everyone’s waiting for Frank Darabont to deliver his polish on the script. But with a planned release date set for May 2014 and Edwards itching to crank up the monster madness on set starting next month, it makes sense that he’d want to start locking down actors.

The plot is still a secret, but naturally the big reptile will be destroying buildings and – if recent rumours turn true – battling other beasts.

Early talk about the film mentioned a scientist, which is a role Cranston, who has spent years playing chemistry teacher-turned-meth kingpin Walter White on Breaking Bad, could assay with ease. It remains to be seen what role any of the three possible actors would play.

Olsen, who has been more of an indie favourite to date, has been looking for a bigger film to appear in, testing for the likes of Captain America: The Winter Soldier and scoring one of the leads in Spike Lee’s Oldboy remake. Given whom Edwards and the producers are approaching for Godzilla, it sounds like it could be the ideal vehicle for her, and a cut above the usual tent pole tosh.