Chris Hemsworth’s submarine thriller,Subversion, casts its female lead in the form of an Emmy-nominated star. Earlier this year, it was announced that Hemsworth would be starring in a submarine action thriller for Amazon MGM Studios, directed by Patrick Vollrath, whose debut feature was the plane hijack thriller7500, with a script written by Andrew Ferguson, known only for the short filmLove Thy Neighbor.
The film follows a once-promising Naval commander (played by Chris Hemsworth) who is coerced by a cartel-style operation into captaining a submarine smuggling illegal cargo through international waters. Forced into a deadly game of cat and mouse, he must outmaneuver naval blockades and navigate several threats lurking both inside the vessel and beyond its hull.
Now, several months after it was first announced, Hemsworth’s submarine thriller has found its female lead. According toThe Hollywood Reporter,Subversionhas cast Lily Jamesin a lead role. Though the English actress is currently in production on Guy Nattiv’s psychological dramaHarmonia,Subversionwill start production in September in Hemsworth’s home country, Australia.
What Lily James' Casting Means For Subversion
Who Is She & Who Is She Playing?
Subversion, which has been described asDie Hardon a submarine, will star Chris Hemsworth as a Naval commander who is coerced by a cartel-style operation into captaining a submarine smuggling illegal cargo through international waters. This forces him into a deadly game of cat and mouse with adetermined Coast Guard officer (played by Lily James)hot on his trail.
Following her breakthrough role in Disney’sCinderella(2015),Lily James has appeared in a wide range of films,fromEdgar Wright’sBaby Driver(2017), the Oscar-winning war dramaDarkest Hour(2017), A24’sThe Iron Claw(2023), and the musicalsMamma Mia! Here We Go Again(2018) andYesterday(2019).
However,it was her high-profile portrayal of Pamela AndersoninHulu’s miniseriesPam & Tommy(2022)that earned her a Primetime Emmy nomination. Since then, James has been branching out into more action-thrillers, including not onlySubversionbut also the upcomingCliffhangerreboot.
Our Take On Lily James Casting In Subversion
Is She A Good Choice?
Lily James may seem like an unconventional choice for a hardened Coast Guard officer, yether career demonstrates a steady gravitation toward roles requiring resilience. Her recent pivot toward action fare suggests she’s ready to step into more commanding roles. While she may not have the battle-worn gravitas typically associated with military thrillers, her versatility and willingness to subvert expectations could bring surprising depth toSubversion.
Subversionhas made a bold move by casting a woman in such a commanding role.
Perhaps more intriguing is what James' casting alone signals forSubversion.Submarine movieshave long been male-dominated.Das Boot,The Hunt for Red October, andCrimson Tidehardly feature women at all, let alone in positions of power. In that sense,Subversionhas made a bold move by casting a woman in such a commanding role, challenging the conventions of the genre itself.
