Oscar winner Octavia Spencer is joining Shailene Woodley, Theo James and Kate Winslet on the big screen for "Insurgent," the highly anticipated sequel to "Divergent."
Deadline.com reported that the 43-year-old actress is the first new cast member announced for the new film. Spencer, who won an Academy Award for "The Help" back in 2011, is set to play Johanna Reyes, the leader of the Amity faction, who helps series heroes Tris (Woodley) and Four (James) in their fight against the tyrannical Erudites.
"In the second film, Tris searches for allies and answers in the dystopian ruins of a futuristic Chicago while on the run with Four and hunted by the leader of the power-hungry Erudite elite," Deadline reported.
ACE Show Biz described Johanna's character as being "dedicated to peacefulness, kindness, forgiveness, trust, self-sufficiency and neutrality." Joanna reportedly has a long scar across her face and is also blind in one eye.
The film franchise is based on a trilogy book series by Veronica Roth. Earlier this year, Lionsgate/Summit Entertainment announced that the final book in the "Divergent" series will be split into two movies -"Allegiant: Part 1"and "Allegiant: Part 2", which are scheduled to hit theaters on March 18, 2016, and March 24, 2017.
"Divergent" grossed over $250 million in sales worldwide after its release in March, giving it the same success as films like "Twilight" and "The Hunger Games," which are also young adult series. Summit Entertainment and Lionsgate approved the sequel the same weekend the first film was released.
"[Author] Veronica Roth brings her captivating story to a masterful conclusion in Allegiant, a rich, action-packed book with material that is ideally suited to two strong and fulfilling movies," Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-chairmen said in a statement. "The storytelling arc and world of the characters lend themselves perfectly to two films, a storytelling strategy that has worked very well for us on the two Twilight Breaking Dawn films and about which we're tremendously enthusiastic for the two upcoming Mockingjay films of The Hunger Games franchise."
"Insurgent" will be directed by Robert Schwentke and is set to hit theaters March 20.
