The Hollywood Reporter: Live-Action Battle Angel Alita Film Tests 3 Actresses for Lead Role

Entertainment news source The Hollywood Reporter revealed on Tuesday that the staff for the planned live-action film adaptation of Yukito Kishiro's Battle Angel Alita (GUNNM) manga has narrowed down the choice of lead actress for the film to Maika Monroe (It Follows,Independence Day: Resurgence), Rosa Salazar (Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials), and Zendaya (K.C. Undercover, Spider-Man: Homecoming). Zendaya's Shake It Up co-star Bella Thorne also tested for the role. A decision is expected in the coming weeks.

The Hollywood Reporter describes the film:
Alita: Battle Angel tells of a female cyborg that is discovered in a trash yard by a scientist. With no memory of her previous life except her deadly martial arts training, the woman becomes a bounty hunter, tracking down criminals.

The action-adventure story is meant to serve as a backdrop to themes of self-discovery and the search for love.

The Hollywood Reporter's article notes that the movie has not yet been officially greenlit, as 20th Century Fox is negotiating the project's budget down from the $175-$200 million range.

Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Sin City, Spy Kids) is in negotiations to direct the film. James Cameron and Jon Landau are producing the project. The film is currently titled Alita: Battle Angel.

Cameron reaffirmed in 2014 that he will not work on Battle Angel Alita until he has finished directing the sequels to his Avatar film, which are in pre-production.

Shutter Island's Laeta Kalogridis has penned a script for the project.

Kishiro's manga ran in Shueisha's Business Jump magazine from 1990 to 1995, followed by the 1995-1996 follow-up Ashen Victor and the single-volume GUNNM: Other Stories. The story continued in 2001 with the partial retelling Battle Angel Alita: Last Order, which moved to Kodansha's Evening magazine as the result of an issue between Kishiro and Shueisha's Ultra Jump magazine. The newest manga, Gunnm: Kasei Senki (Battle Angel Alita: The Martian War Chronicles), launched in Kodansha's Evening magazine in 2014.​