With “Luke Cage” now finally streaming on Netflix, series co-star Mahershala Ali (who plays Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes) is moving right along to what comes next; and it could be a role in Fox’s “Alita: Battle Angel” live-action film adaptation, which Robert Rodriguez is attached to direct, with James Cameron producing.

Ali is said to be in negotiations to join the tent-pole project’s cast, also playing a villain, named Vector, who runs and fixes matches in Motorball, a futuristic gladiatorial combat game. If a deal is closed, Ali will join a cast that already includes star Rosa Salazar, as well as Christoph Waltz, Jackie Earl Haley, Ed Skrein and Keann Johnson.




“Alita: Battle Angel” is based on a manga series that was created by Yukito Kishiro in 1990. Set in the 26th century, “Alita” centers on a female cyborg (played by Rosa Salazar) 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 who tracks down criminals.

“Alita: Battle Angel” is currently set for a July 20, 2018 release in the USA.

After 3 seasons playing Remy Danton on another Netflix series, “House of Cards,” Ali will next be seen in “Hidden Figures,” which is set for an early 2017 release (likely after a late 2016 Oscar-qualifying run). He’s also attached to co-star in Viola Davis’ film adaptation of “The Personal History of Rachel DuPree,” currently in pre-production.

The Hollywood Reporter was first to report the news of Ali being in talks to join the cast of “Alita: Battle Angel.”