Every testosterone-infused action movie needs a few ladies to keep the hormonal balance, but it's always nice when those ladies can sufficiently kick ass on their own right.
After circling the roles for the last few weeks, Collider has confirmed that Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale have both signed on officially to the "Total Recall" remake, directed by Len Wiseman ("Underworld," "Live Free or Die Hard") and set to star Colin Farrell. Beckinsale will play Lori, the wife of Farrell's Douglas Quaid character, while Biel will play Melina, a woman Quaid teams up with later in the story.
The original movie featured both lead ladies jumping into the action alongside (or occasionally against) Arnold Schwarzenegger and the updated version is expected to do the same.
The actresses are fine choices for the film, as both have backgrounds in action movies. Biel previously starred in "Blade: Trinity" where she went toe to toe with vicious vampires. Beckinsale starred in Wiseman's "Underworld" franchise, another series involving bloodsuckers and elaborate wirework. Maybe they should throw a few vampires into "Total Recall," just for old time's sake.
The sci-fi reimagining already has a hell of a cast, including Bryan Cranston of "Breaking Bad," Ethan Hawke and the recently-announced Bill Nighy. With the addition of two strong female leads, the movie has the potential to make its way out of the shadow of the previous incarnation -- which it needs to do in order to stand on its own. Shooting on "Total Recall" begins this month and is expected to hit theaters in 2012.
