Two-time Academy Award-winner Christoph Waltz is currently in the middle of negotiating a contract with with 20th Century Fox to star in Alita: Battle Angel alongside Rosa Salazar. The Western, live-action adaptation of Yukito Kishiro's nine-volume '90s manga has long been a passion project for James Cameron. However, the director recently came to the realization that his work on developing the Avatar franchise meant he'd likely never get to help the project. Enter Robert Rodriguez, who will now direct the feature film.
Naturally, Waltz is said to be up for the role of Doctr Dyson Ido, the cybernetic genius turned junkman who discovers Alia.
According to THR, the film is expected to being shooting this Fall for a July 2018 release date. As such, expect more casting news to surface in the coming weeks.