Hidden Figures, an upcoming film adaptation of Margot Lee Shetterly’s upcoming book of the same name, is currently in pre-production by Fox 2000 Studios. The first announcement for the film revealed the identity of its star, Golden Globe-winner Taraji P. Henson, who will play Katherine Johnson — a mathematician who, along with her colleagues Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Jackson, helped execute NASA’s historic Friendship 7 mission.
This announcement was quickly followed by similar ones: first that Academy Award-winner Octavia Spencer would play one of Henson’s colleagues, and then that Kevin Costner had joined and would take on the role of the head of the space program.
Fox 2000 Studios is continuing to keep the ball rolling, today announcing yet another big name to the film’s roster. The Grammy-nominated R&B singer Janelle Monáe will be joining the cast to act in the role of Henson’s other colleague, as was told to Billboard by a representative for Wondaland Entertainment.
No other casting announcements have been revealed for Hidden Figures yet. But the film, which is being directed by St. Vincent‘s Ted Melfi, is expected to reach theaters in January 2017.