Disney star Zendaya is among the actresses shortlisted for the lead role in "Alita: Battle Angel", a James Cameron production.
Robert Rodriguez is directing Fox's adaptation of the popular manga graphic novels, said The Hollywood Reporter.
The film is envisioned as a big-budget tentpole, and Cameron and his Lightstorm Entertainment partner Jon Landau are producing.
"Alita: Battle Angel" tells of a female cyborg that is discovered in a scrapyard by a scientist.
With no memory of her previous life except her deadly martial-arts training, the woman becomes a bounty hunter, tracking down criminals. The action-adventure story is meant to serve as a backdrop to themes of self-discovery and the search for love.
The movie has not been greenlighted as budgetary issues are still being worked out while the studio seeks to bring it down from the USD 175 million-USD 200 million range.
Besides 19-year-old Zendaya, others who have tested for the film are Maika Monroe, who starred in "It Follows" and Rosa Salazar, of "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" fame.
"Bella Thorne", who starred with Zendaya on the TV series "Shake It Up", say sources.
Cameron and Rodriguez reportedly want to create a star-making vehicle akin to the former's "Dark Angel", the TV series that ran from 2000 to 2002 and became a platform for Jessica Alba.
Sources add that Zendaya could be the frontrunner for the role, but that scheduling issues with her hit TV show "KC Undercover" present a stumbling block.
