Well this is surprising. If you were to ask me which actor in Hollywood would be perfect as a tough-as-nails mercenary who has to battle the relentlessly badass Predators, my answer would be … Adrien Brody? Say what?

That’s the word from Variety, which says that Brody has been cast as a “heroic mercenary who battles alien hunters” in the Robert Rodriguez-written and -produced “Predators”, which is set to go into production very soon under the direction of Nimrod Antal.

And not just Brody in the lead, too. Variety also reveals other casting news:

Alice Braga, Danny Trejo, Walt Goggins, Oleg Taktarov, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, and Louiz Ozawa will round out the seven badass human warriors who will be going up against the uber Predators on their home planet.

If this script review proves accurate, then Braga (“I am Legend”) will most likely be playing a female French sniper named Isabelle; Rodriguez bud Trejo is already known to be playing the Mexican gangster Cuchillo; African-American actor Mahershalalhashbaz Ali will be playing Mombasa, a member of an African death squad; the Russian Oleg Taktarov will be playing the Russian Nikolai; and Ozawa, a Japanese actor, would be logical as the sword-slinging Yakuza character Hanzo.

I’m not entirely sure what Walt Goggins (“The Shield”) will be playing, though The Hollywood Reporter calls his role “the loose canon of the group”, whatever that means. Originally I thought Goggins would be perfect as Edwin, the unassuming serial killer, but according to THR, that role is going to “Spider-Man 3’s” Topher Grace, which only leaves Stans, the con with a shank for Goggins.

So, Brody playing a character described as “a hunter of men”? I can’t see it. Also, Brody’s character has also been described as “a mercenary” similar to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character in the original “Predator”, though the script review above mentions that the lead is a tough cop. Was the male lead changed, or will Brody be playing an American soldier character that has been living on the Predators planet for a while now? Or another character entirely?

What is known is that Brody and his people were pushing for the role in an attempt to transform Brody’s image as leading man in dramas to that of an action hero. I’m still not sure about the casting, though being one of those method actors, I’m sure Brody can “pump up” enough to swing a chain gun like Arnold Jr.

More information should come out as the movie gears up for production in Hawaii and Rodriguez’s Austin studio for a July 9, 2010 release date.

Adrien Brody? Bring it, Piano man!

Adrien Brody? Bring it, Piano man!