With Will Smith now confirmed to star in sci-fi thriller Brilliance, the filmmakers have been looking to fill the cast around him. They’ve picked a veteran of another well known, if controversial, science fiction film, with Prometheus’ Noomi Rapace set to take the other lead role.
Brilliance, which David Koepp has adapted from Marcus Sakey’s book (part one of – shock! – a series), is set in world where 1% of the population has developed enhanced cognitive abilities. Labelled “brilliants”, they have both helped and harmed the human race, as some have turned their advanced skills to terrorism. Smith is set to play federal agent Nick Cooper, a “brilliant” who has put his own powers to use hunting the bad seeds down.
Rapace’s role wasn’t made clear in The Wrap’s story on her casting, so we’ll have to wait to find out if she’s playing a friend or foe to Smith. The book's Cooper has a daughter, who - as a "brilliant" - faces being removed from her home to be educated at a government school for such people, but Rapace is a little old for that. Cooper also has a potential love interest, Shannon, who can walk through walls, which seems a marginally more likely fit.
Julius Onah is directing the film, which has the backing of Legendary and will be distributed via its deal with Universal. As for Rapace, she has Tom Hardy double bill Child 44 and **The Drop **set to arrive this year, with What Happened To Monday, Alive Alone and a potential sequel to Prometheus in her future.