It would seem that director Daniel Espinosa sees Joel Kinnaman as a kind of good luck charm. After all, their first collaboration, Snabba Cash, is what earned both of them international recognition and launched both of their careers in America. When the director helmed his first American feature, Safe House, last year, he brought Kinnaman along for the ride in a supporting role. So it was just expected that they would want to work together once again on Child 44.
The Hollywood Reporter has learned that the Swedish star is now in talks to join Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace in the period piece, which is set in Soviet Russia. Based on the novel by Tom Rob Smith, the story begins in the 1950s and centers on a police officer (Hardy) investigating a string of child murders. But as he digs further into the case he discovers that his own government is keeping an eye on his every move. Should he sign on Kinnaman will play, Hardy's "ambitious and murderous nemesis," and adds that "Rapace is playing Hardy’s chameleon-like wife."
In addition to his continuing role on the series The Killing, Kinnaman landed a big blockbuster part starring as RoboCop in the 2014 remake directed by José Padilha. He also has a role in the stacked cast of Terrence Malick's Knight of Cups, alongside Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Teresa Palmer, Cate Blanchett, Antonio Banderas and many more.
Hardy and Rapace and currently working together in the Dennis Lehane adaptation Animal Rescue and production on Child 44 is expected to start this summer.
