'Pan' Movie News Update: Rooney Mara Cast as Tiger Lily; Is This the Start of a New Franchise?

Rooney Mara is the latest actress to join Warner Bros.' upcoming "Pan" movie.

Variety reports that the Academy Award nominee will play Tiger Lily in the film. Mara beat out a number of actress including Adele Exarchopoulos and recent Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o.

The character appeared in the Walt Disney adaptation as the daughter of the native chief and becomes a loyal friend to Peter Pan. In the original book the character is almost killed by Captain Hook but is saved by Pan.

The role will mark Mara's first appearance in a fantasy film. However, she is already familiar with studio system and franchise films. She had her breakout role starring in David Fincher's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and was nominated for her performance. While a second film has yet be announced, a sequel is planned with Mara returning as Lisbeth Salander. The actress has also been seen in "The Social Network," "Side Effects," "Her" and "Ain't Them Bodies Saints." Mara is currently filming Todd Haynes' "Carol" with Cate Blanchett and will next be seen in Stephen Daldry's "Trash" and an untitled Terrence Malick film.

Mara joins a spectacular cast that already includes Garrett Helund as Hook and Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard. The movie also marks the return of Joe Wright to a studio film. The director, who is best known for his period films "Atonement," "Pride and Prejudice" and "Anna Karenina," directed "the Soloist" for Universal, but the film received lukewarm reactions. However, after directing his first action film, "Hanna," it is likely the director's qualifications for a fantasy action film may exceed expectations.

The film was written by actor Jason Fuchs, who has some questionable writing credits; he has only penned one theatrical release, "Ice Age: Continental Drift" and two TV movies, both of which did not have massive audiences. It will be interesting to see how Wright's experience will mix with Fuch's first live-action script.

Warner Bros. is releasing the film and has expectations of beginning a franchise similar to that of "Harry Potter" and "The Lord of the Rings."

While most fantasy films fail to begin franchises, "Pan" is likely to already have a built in audience especially considering the popularity of the Disney movie and Steven Spielberg's "Hook." Additionally, Disney has been successful adapting their classic animated films into live-action movies. With Warner Bros. releasing the movie in the summer this film is expected to get a lot of attention.

However, the studio must first find its lead character, "Pan." The studio has already sent out an open casting call in which it says it is searching for a child between the ages of 10 and 12.

"Pan" will take the classic tale and give it a new twist. The movie will be set during World War II and will follow an orphan named Peter who is kidnapped by pirates and brought to Neverland, where he discovers his destiny is to save the land from evil pirates.

The film will be released on July 17, 2015.