Latino Review has broke the news that Brazilian actor Wagner Moura has booked his first big Hollywood role as a villain in Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 follow up Elysium. Maura has been steadily working in his native Brazil for years, but for movie fans, he may best known as Lt. Colonel Nascimento in the Elite Squad series of films. For those of you into Brazilian soap operas though, you probably remember him best for his role of Olavo in Paraiso Tropical.
Moura will be making his splash in Hollywood alongside some good company, as Elysium also stars Sharlto Copley, Jodie Foster, and Matt Damon. Definitely a good crew to have by your side. The movie, which has futurist Syd Mead (thank him infinitely for Blade Runner) doing set design, will begin shooting in the summer.
The plot? Well, I know about as much as El Mayimbe on Latino Review does: it takes place in the future and on another planet. Otherwise, your guess is as good as mine. Blomkamp has proven himself to be a great director though, and he’s assembled a good group of people for his sophomore blockbuster, so there’s no reason to be nervous. None. Nada.
The film will prep in April, and start production in July in Vancouver before moving to Mexico City in the fall. Release is planned for late 2012.
For our Brazilian fans, or anyone who’s seen Elite Squad 1 and 2, is Wagner Moura on the verge of superstardom? I’d like to know more about his work.