Cate Blanchett is in a phase of her career I would describe as… interesting. She is clearly unafraid of ambitious projects – Knight of CupsSong to Song – experimental ones – playing 13 characters in Manifesto – and as one may say, rather off-brand though totally exciting ones, like playing a Marvel villain for Taika Waititi. But her most head-turning choice of late is a role in an Eli Roth film.

Don’t get too worried though, Blanchett won’t be the victim of another torture porn outing. Roth is helming the big screen adaptation of John Bellairs’ children’s gothic horror novel The House With a Clock in Its Walls. Penned by Eric Kripke (Supernatural, Boogeyman), the story follows a young orphan who helps his magical uncle find the titular clock within the walls of his home before it brings about the end of the world. The Hollywood Reporter notes that the magic-wielding uncle will be played by Jack Black, and Blanchett is in talks to play Florence Zimmermann, his next-door neighbor and a witch who also uses magic for good.

While it might seem like an odd choice for Blanchett, she’s beginning to take on roles for younger audiences these days. At San Diego Comic-Con she named her kids as the reason she decided to join the MCU with Thor: Ragnarok. And The House With a Clock in Its Walls is likely another step towards making movies her kids can actually enjoy her in. We’ll get to see Blanchett revel in evil sorcery as Hela, then play a good witch with Jack Black. Someone call up J.K. Rowling and get her to cast Blanchett in the next zillion Fantastic Beasts movies, please.

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