The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018)

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Alicia Vikander Early Favorite to Replace Rooney Mara in ‘Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’ Sequel

Sony’s rebooting the Lisbeth Salander franchise as Steven Knight prepares to adapt “The Girl in the Spider’s Web”

Rooney Mara will not reprise her role as hacker heroine Lisbeth Salander in Sony’s forthcoming adaptation of “The Girl in the Spider’s Web” and Sony Pictures is interested in having Alicia Vikander replace her, an individual familiar with the studio’s thinking has told TheWrap.

Director David Fincher and star Daniel Craig are also unlikely to return for the sequel, which will be based on the fourth novel in the late Stieg Larsson‘s Millennium series that was written after his death by David Lagercrantz.

Sony had initially been planning to adapt “The Girl Who Played With Fire,” shelling out mid-seven figures for a script by Steve Zaillian. “Fire” is now expected to follow “Spider’s Web,” which Oscar-noominated writer Steven Knight (“Locke”) is in negotiations to adapt for the studio.

Also Read: Alicia Vikander to Join Michael Fassbender in 'Light Between Oceans,' Eddie Redmayne in 'Danish Girl'

Scott Rudin and former Sony chief Amy Pascal will produce “The Girl in the Spider’s Web,” which is expected to come in at a much lower price than “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” which had difficulty recouping its $90 million budget, not including P&A costs.

Essentially, Sony is rebooting the “Dragon Tattoo” franchise, and Elizabeth Cantillon will oversee the effort on behalf of the studio.

Vikander is one of Hollywood’s brightest young stars and an edgy character like Lisbeth Salander would counterbalance her acclaimed work in period dramas such as “The Danish Girl,” “Anna Karenina,” “A Royal Affair” and “Testament of Youth” The Swedish starlet can currently be seen opposite Bradley Cooper in “Burnt,” and has “Tulip Fever” and the next Jason Bourne movie on the horizon.