Jessica Chastain to Play 'Jane' in Upcoming TARZAN Film?

Will Jessica Chastain be the next Queen of the Jungle? According to a report in this morning's NY Post, the Academy Award-nominated actress is considered to be the frontrunner to play 'Jane' in an upcoming Warner Bros. reboot of the classic film TARZAN. 'Harry Potter' helmer David Yates will direct.

The Post's Richard Johnson also reports that actor Alexander Skarsgard may take on the role of the vine-swinging ape man in the latest saga. The film will follow the jungle boy as he becomes "fully assimilated to life in London when Queen Victoria asks him to investigate troubles in the Congo." Samuel L. Jackson will reportedly portray an ex-mercenary who "helps Tarzan save the Congo from a vicious warlord."

Chastain recently made her Broadway debut in the revival of 'The Heiress' opposite Dan Stevens. She has received major accolades for her roles in films like Ralph Fiennes' CORIOLANUS, John Madden's THE DEBT, John Hillcoat's LAWLESS, Jeff Nichols' TAKE SHELTER, Terrence Malick's THE TREE OF LIFE and Tate Taylor's THE HELP (for which she received her first nomination last year for an Academy Award).

She was recently seen on the big screen in Andrés Muschietti's MAMA and Katherine Bigelow's Academy Award nominated film, ZERO DARK THIRTY (for which she recently won Best Actress at the National Board of Review, the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama and for which she was nominated for Best Actress for the upcoming Academy Awards).

The actress will next be seen in Liv Ullmann's adaptation of August Strindberg's MISS JULIE.

Photo by Carolyn Contino / BEImages