Jessica Biel has joined Scarlett Johansson in a new movie about the making of Psycho. Yesterday, the actress signed on to play the second female lead in the film.
Biel will play the role of Vera Miles, who played Lila Crane in the 1960 classic. Anthony Hopkins plays Hitchcock, Scarlett Johansson will play Janet Leigh, Helen Mirren will play Alma Reville and James D’Arcy is reportedly up for the role of Anthony Perkins. Biel will next be seen starring opposite Colin Farrell in the Total Recall remake for Sony Pictures. Biel beat out several actresses for the Alfred Hitchcock role(Deadline).
The movie is adapted from a book by John McLaughlin, Tom Thayer and Stephen Rebello and it follows Hitchcock’s attempts to make the 1960 horror flick.
Studios initially didn’t want to be involved in the original Psycho movie but after the filmmaker relentlessly pursued the idea, the film’s production began to gain ground. Thereafter, the movie went on to be one of Hitchcock’s biggest hits and the film was nominated for four Oscars upon its release.
The film will be directed by Sacha Gervasi and is set to start shooting in April of 2012.