Noomi Rapace May Join Will Smith in David Ayer’s Orc Buddy Cop Netflix Movie ‘Bright’

It’s been a while since we had an update on Bright, so you’d be excused for forgetting all about it — except it’s sort of impossible to forget that David Ayer is directing a movie for Netflix starring Will Smith and Joel Edgerton as a pair of mismatched buddy cops. Oh, and one of them is an orc, apparently. It’s also hard to forget how the internet’s collective jaw dropped when Netflix plopped down $90 million for the film, and it looks like some of that money might go to Noomi Rapace, as the actress is in talks to join the strange new project.

Variety reports that Rapace is eyeing a role in Bright, David Ayer’s new fantasy-action film based on a screenplay by Max Landis. Plot details are a bit scarce, but the project has been compared to Ayer’s End of Watch in that it’s a dark action flick that centers on a pair of cops — with one key difference: the film takes place in a world where orcs and fairies are real and they co-exist with humans.

Ayer is re-teaming with Suicide Squad star Will Smith, who will co-star with Joel Edgerton as the cop duo, one of whom is reportedly an orc. And yet, that might not be the craziest thing about this project. It’s unclear what role Rapace would play, but with her distinctive features, it’s easy to see the Swedish actress as a badass fairy — and that’s a phrase I never thought I would use.

Netflix’s $90 million payout for Bright is certainly quite steep, but it was the $3 million Landis was paid for his spec that really attracted some side-eye. That amount is basically unheard of for screenwriters, though it’s worth noting that these amounts are higher than average because Netflix is paying for exclusive rights — which means none of the talent involved will receive residual pay, as the film will never appear on cable or other platforms.