Is it just me or do the casts for a number of upcoming dramas seem to be more and more impressive these days? While there is an incredible amount of praise and backlash aimed at David Fincher’s The Social Network, he is already shooting his next film, an adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s hit novel The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. So when Fincher spoke to Swedish newspaper SvD (via The Playlist), he didn’t mind revealing that he added Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck), Steven Berkoff (The Tourist), and David Dencik (Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy). Hit the jump for more quotes from Fincher and a recap of the cast and synopsis.

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Fincher is trying to distance himself from talks about whether this is a remake of Niels Arden Oplev’s adaptations of the late Swedish writer’s Millennium Trilogy (Dragon is part one), as he tells the newspaper that screenwriter Steven Zaillian was focused on the books, not the original Swedish films. He also mentions that the original films had a “Swedish noir” feel, whereas he is looking to capture the essence of Sweden and “an atmosphere reminiscent of Chinatown.” Part of that attempt is helped by the fact that Fincher is filming in Sweden, as opposed to a studio lot in Hollywood.

Additionally, the director had this quick response to whether they would be making the entire trilogy or just the first film: “We’ll see. If the first is not good, it’s no use to do more.” The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo stars Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist, Rooney Mara as the main character of hacker Lisbeth Salander, along with Stellan Skarsgård, Robin Wright, and Christopher Plummer. The roles of Richardson, Berkoff, and Dencik were not revealed.

Dencik is of note because he had a small role in the original film, and is the first link between the two adaptations. Another interesting fact is that the director of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is Tomas Alfredson, who had his Swedish classic Let The Right One In (an adaptation of a Swedish novel of the same name) remade into Matt Reeves’ Let Me In. Quite the Swedish remake/adaptation connection there.

Amazon provides this synopsis of the novel:

Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden’s wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption.

Fincher’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo hits theaters on December 21st, 2011, while the original can be streamed via Netflix here (something I’d definitely recommend).