Like the titular character swinging through the jungle on his way to help an elephant or battle a rabid tiger or another threat, Warner Bros. new take on Tarzan is picking up speed. David Yates officially committed to make the movie a week ago and now it appears he’s found the man he believes is right to wear the leopard skin loincloth. That man is Alexander Skarsgard.
You may recall that Skarsgard was in the mix for the role alongside Henry Cavill, Charlie Hunnam and even Tom Hardy. But Yates apparently favours the True Blood star. As of right now, nothing has been made official: there’s no offer, and the film itself is still waiting to get the thumbs up from the Warners brass. But given his success with the Harry Potter movies, you’ve got to imagine Yates has some pull with the executives over casting.
More details are beginning to emerge about the script, which has been through the keyboards of various writers and was last drafted by Adam Cozad. The plot would find Tarzan, AKA John Clayton III, living life in England after he’s assimilated back into society.
But Queen Victoria asks him to investigate some dodgy dealings in the Congo, where a fierce warlord has seized control of a massive diamond mine and is threatening trouble. Tarzan teams up with a Civil War veteran-turned-mercenary called George Washington Williams to tackle the villain.
According to Variety, Yates wants Samuel L Jackson to play Williams, but like Skarsgard, no offer has been made yet.