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Production is finally progressing on James Cameron's long-gestating movie adaptation of Battle Angel Alita, with the project naming Rosa Salazar as lead actor.

Although a familiar face on television shows such as American Horror Story and Parenthood, Salazar is perhaps best known to audiences for her roles in The Maze Runner and Divergent film series.


Salazar beat out Maika Monroe, Zendaya Coleman and Bella Thorne for the role, per Collider.

Battle Angel Alita adds another dystopian sci-fi role to Salazar's resumé.

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Based on the manga by Yukito Kishiro, the series follows the eponymous Alita, an amnesiac cyborg discovered in a state of suspended animation by a genius cyberneticist.

Restored to functionality, Alita battles through a post-apocalyptic wasteland, using her mysteriously advanced combat skills to hunt down criminals while trying to recover her memories.


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First published in 1990, Avatar director Cameron snapped up rights to the cyberpunk classic early on but has been waiting for visual effects technology to reach a point where he could achieve the vision he has for Kishiro's world.

The original manga has spawned several print sequels, and a short anime adaptation.


Although Cameron intended to direct the live action project, which will adapt the first four volumes of Kishito's tale, he will now serve as producer, alongside Jon Landau.

In Cameron's stead, Sin City and Desperado director Robert Rodriguez will helm the film.

There's still no release window for Battle Angel Alita, but with Rodriguez in the director's and Salazar set to headline the film, the big screen realisation is closer than it's ever been.