Brace yourself: Rihanna and the dude who turned Scarlet Johansson into an omnipotent badass are teaming up to adapt a series of French graphic novels about “a pair of time-travelling space agents who help to defend a utopian future Earth.” If you listen carefully, you can hear the “cult classic” label being slapped onto the project already!
Luc Besson, director of The Fifth Element and, more recently, Lucy, announced via Instagram today that Rihanna is officially playing a “big part” in Valerian, his 2017 adaptation of said ’60s graphic novels. She won’t be either of the two agents, NME reports; Dane Dehaan already nabbed the title role of Valerian, and model/actress-turned-just-actress Cara Delevingne will play his partner Laureline.
That means Rihanna’s role is a mystery, though the costume design will no doubt be legendary. This is the pop star’s third role in a film, and her second live-action one after her derided/celebrated appearance in Battleship. (She also voiced a young girl in this year’s animated Home.) There’s just one month left in 2015, but that’s more than enough time for another pop star to join Rihanna and Lady Gaga’s ventures into acting and make a trend.