Matt Schley
April 28, 2016 
James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez’s Hollywood adaptation of Battle Angel Alita, which Cameron has been attempting to get off the ground for years, is inching towards becoming a reality, with three actresses testing for the main role, reports the Hollywood Reporter.
Actresses Zendaya (K.C. Undercover), Maika Monroe (Independence Day: Resurgence) and Rosa Salazar (Maze Runner: The Scorch Trails) all tested for the main role of Alita in the film, which is titled Alita: Battle Angel. It’s also rumored Bella Thorne (Alvin and the Chipmunks: Road Chip) also tested.
Battle Angel Alita, also known as Gunnm, is a cyberpunk manga series by Yukito Kishiro that ran from 1990 to 1995 and spawned various spinoffs. A two-episode anime OVA was released in 1993.
Alita: Battle Angel may be able to avoid the whitewashing controversy that’s befallen the live-action Ghost in the Shell film, as the original manga is set in 26th-century America.
James Cameron, the director of Titanic and Avatar, has owned the rights to Battle Angel Alita for years, but the project has been on the backburner until now.
Last year Cameron tapped Spy Kids and Predators director Robert Rodriguez to helm the film while he directs his Avatar sequels.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
