Elba Heads for “Pacific Rim,” Foxx Again Rumored for “Django Unchained”

We're suddenly a lot more interested in "Pacific Rim," while "Django Unchained" remains high on our list.

Idris Elba, best known as Stringer Bell on "The Wire," has landed the lead role in Guillermo Del Toro's "Pacific Rim," reported Deadline. Tom Cruise was originally courted for the lead, but frankly we consider Elba a huge upgrade.

The film takes place in the future, when Earth is threatened by gigantic monsters out to destroy the planet city by city. The film will also star Charlie Hunnan ("Sons of Anarchy") and Charlie Day ("It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia").

And with Elba's calendar getting a little fuller, it would lend credence to the tweet yesterday from Jeff Goldsmith claiming that “Will Smith is out! Inside sources tell me that Tarantino has chosen Oscar winner @iamjamiefoxx to play Django! #fb.”

It was Goldsmith who a couple of weeks broke the news of Leonardo DiCaprio's involvement, so he seems to have a pretty good line on this project. The film tells the story of a freed salve who trains with a bounty hunter before heading out to free his wife and get revenge on his former owner.

Elba and Foxx, along with Chris Tucker had been rumored to be among those Quentin Tarantino was considering for the lead role in the vent Smith bailed, which he apparently has.

Foxx would join DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz  and Samuel L. Jackson in the slave revenge epic due to hit theaters Christmas Day 2012.

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