Casting news for two anticipated upcoming projects has been unveiled.  First up, Alcon Entertainment has announced that Kate Mara (House of Cards, American Horror Story) is joining the cast of longtime Christopher Nolan cinematographer Wally Pfister’s sci-fi project Transcendence.  The film stars Johnny Depp and is rumored to concern a scientist whose brain gets uploaded into a supercomputer, but confirmed plot details are being kept under tight wraps.  Mara's role is unspecified, but she most recently did excellent work on Netflix’s fantastic original series House of Cards and should make a swell addition to the Transcendence cast.

Rebecca Hall and Paul Bettany are also poised to star in the film.  Kate’s sister Rooney Mara was previously considered for one of the pic’s lead roles that eventually went to Hall.  Nolan is executive producing the film alongside Emma Thomas and Aaron Ryder, with filming set to get underway soon.  Hit the jump for casting news concerning the female lead in Michael Bay’s Transformers 4.

Additionally, director Michael Bay has confirmed that Nicola Peltz (The Last Airbender) has been set as the female lead in his upcoming sequel Transformers 4.  Peltz was rumored for the part back in December, but Bay took to his personal blog yesterday to finally confirm the news.  Peltz currently appears on the A&E series Bates Motel as Bradley Kenner, one of a couple of romantic interests for the young Norman Bates.

Mark Wahlberg is set to lead the Transformers 4 cast, which also includes Jack Reynor (What Richard Did) as the second male lead.  Filming is set to get underway this summer in anticipation of the film’s June 27, 2014 release date.