Rebecca Hall ‘Transcendence’: ‘Iron Man’ Actress Cast In Johnny Depp Film

Rebecca Hall has joined Transcendence, the new film starring Johnny Depp and Paul Bettany, The Hollywood Reporter announced on Monday, March 4.

Transcendence has been described as “in the vein of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Inception,” THR noted, but plot details remain under close watch.

What is known: Johnny Depp will play a computer programmer, whose latest development gains awareness, and Hall will play his wife, also described as an “academic.”

Hall reportedly beat out Emily Blunt and Noomi Rapace for the role.

Since being featured in the 2006 critical success The Prestige, Hall has quietly moved up the Hollywood A-list, working alongside Woody Allen and Ben Affleck.

With Rebecca Hall in Transcendence, the London-born actress will reunite with Wally Pfister, cinematographer to Christopher Nolan on The Prestige.

(Transcendence will be Pfister’s directorial debut.)

Hall has also starred in the supernatural shocker The Awakening and in the five-part HBO mini-series Parade’s End.

In Parade’s End, Hall played what Salon called a “psychologically deep and disturbed … scene-stealing, scenery-chewing monster.”

Those of you who remember Hall’s reserved performances in Everything Must Go and Vicky Cristina Barcelona may not have recognized the 30-year-old as Sylvia, the “toxic” wife of Christopher Tietjens (Benedict Cumberbatch).

Hall said inspiration for the character came from Bette Davis, adding that she “grew up watching Bette Davis films” and that as a 10-year-old, her mother couldn’t get her to bed “unless I watched all of All About Eve every night.”

Most recently, Hall broke into summer blockbuster territory with her largest-budgeted film to date in Iron Man 3. In that film, Hall will be playing Maya Hansen, who has been described as “a female Robert Downey, Jr.,” by director Shane Black.

Responding to Black, Hall said she “can’t even come close to matching wits with [Downey, Jr.] — but it was fun to try!”

“He’s a really brilliant improvisationalist. … He’s incredibly quick-witted. Everything he brings to Tony Stark is him,” Hall said.

Are you excited for Rebecca Hall in Transcendence? What are you looking forward to more — Hall and Depp or Hall and Downey, Jr., in Iron Man 3?

[Image via cinemafestival / Shutterstock.com]