J.J. Abrams' new movie has cast its main star. Abrams is best known as a co-creator of the acclaimed sci-fi series Lost, but he has also directed several major features in the genre. This includes Mission Impossible III, Star Trek, Super 8, and Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. More recently, an untitled feature from Abrams was announced to be in development at Warner Bros. Stars already attached to the project include Twisters and Anyone But You's Glen Powell and Wednesday's Jenna Ortega.

Now, The Hollywood Reporter has announced Emma Mackey has ed Abrams film. Mackey is said to play the female lead in the film, but the nature of her role is still under wraps. The plot of the Abrams movie has also not been confirmed, though it will reportedly not involve time travel, contrary to what initial reports indicated. The project is supposed to begin shooting in early 2025.

What This Means For The Abrams Project

All Three Actors Have Fan Bases

Though very little information has been revealed as to the nature of this project, the film now features an exciting combination of lead actors. While their levels of fame are variable, Powell, Ortega, and Mackey are all stars whose careers have really taken off within the last few years. Now, they are all established, they will help attract a greater audience to the film. Still, the Abrams project will be a good opportunity for them to further cement themselves as A-listers.

Mackey's casting is particularly notable for the actor, who is arguably the smallest-name star of the bunch. She had her breakout role playing Maeve in the well-regarded Netflix series Sex Education. Mackey later appeared in 2023's biggest film, Barbie, though she had a fairly small ing role as she played one Barbie within a larger ensemble. 2024 has been slow for Mackey, as she has not been attached to any projects, but as a result, the Abrams film can help boost her career.

Our Take On This Casting

Mackey Has Not Been In Sci-Fi Before

In some ways, casting Mackey presents a relatively uncertain factor in the Abrams film. Whereas both Powell and Ortega have shown their strength across a breadth of genres, Mackey's career has been relegated mostly to the drama and comedy space. As a result, no one has seen what she can do in a film that likely leans more into a sci-fi element given the Abrams tie-in. She has proven herself to be a great actor in her career so far, but whether she can be a successful genre film lead remains to be seen.

Source: THR