Netflix’s upcoming fantasy film Damsel has just gotten a lot more bulked up, cast-wise. Deadline reports that five new names were added to help bring the story to life: Robin Wright, Ray Winstone, Shoreh Aghdashloo, Nick Robinson, and Brooke Carter. The story has a curious twist: the damsel of the title is enlisted to marry a prince and agrees to do it, but she later finds out that she’s actually been chosen as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. If that wasn’t bad enough, the damsel is thrown in a cave with a fire-breathing dragon and will have to fend for herself if she wants to make it out alive.
The five stars join previously announced Millie Bobby Brown, who is set to executive produce and star – possibly as the title character — and Angela Bassett, who is also attached to the project in an undisclosed role. Damsel will be directed by Academy Award nominee Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, who’s helming a feature film for the first time since 2011’s Intruders. The screenplay is by Dan Mazeau, who is also making a comeback after penning 2012’s Wrath of the Titans.
Wright is an eight-time Emmy nominee who recently saved the later seasons of Netflix’s hit series House of Cards by taking on the main role after the scandal that made Kevin Spacey exit production. She was also in modern classics such as Forrest Gump and The Princess Bride. Recently, Wright was featured in sci-fi blockbuster Blade Runner 2049, and was also part of the DC Extended Universe as Antiope, the mentor of Wonder Woman.
Winston is a British actor and two-time BAFTA nominee. Highly eclectic, he’s been in critically acclaimed movies like Martin Scorsese’s The Departed and Cold Mountain, and also starred in the animated epic Beowulf back when motion capture performance was relatively new. Recently, Winstone was in Darren Aronofsky’s controversial Bible epic Noah, and played opposite Scarlett Johansson in Marvel’s Black Widow.
Aghdashloo is an Iranian actor with an immensely successful career in Hollywood. The Academy Award nominee was in critically acclaimed movies like House of Sand and Fog and The Exorcism of Emily Rose. On TV, she was on long-running series 24, The Punisher, and Prime Video’s The Expanse. She’s also attached to star in Season 2 of HBO Max's The Flight Attendant.
Despite the young age, Nick Robinson has been acting professionally for over a decade. One of his most prominent roles was as the title character in Love, Simon, which he reprised in the spin-off series Love, Victor. He was recently on Netflix’s acclaimed series Maid and in the thriller film Silk Road. Last but not least, the youngest cast member announced, Carter debuted on TV with TNT series The Alienist. She then moved on to Netflix’s The Irregulars. Damsel will mark Carter’s feature film debut.
Netflix is yet to announce further details from Damsel, including additional cast and a release date.