After seeing 1,200 young actors for the lead role in Disney’s Artemis Fowl movie, director Kenneth Branagh has cast Ferdia Shaw.

The Eoin Colfer children’s books follow the brilliant and cunning 12-year-old eponymous criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl II, whose plot to extort gold from the secret Fairy People puts him directly in the crosshairs of some of the most dangerous creatures on earth. Over the course of the book series, Fowl becomes an anti-hero rather than a full-fledged villain, often working together with the fairies to stop a slew of treacherous megalomaniacs.

The star-studded cast includes Josh Gad, Judi Dench, Lara McDonnell as “Captain Holly Short, the elf hero” and Nonso Anozie as Butler, Artemis Fowl’s bodyguard.

Branagh is producing with Judy Hofflund and Conor McPherson is writing the script.

Artemis Fowl production begins in 2018 in the UK, with a August 9, 2019 release date scheduled.

Source: Variety