Joel Edgerton is Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby

Animal Kingdom star Joel Edgerton has landed the pivotal role of Tom Buchanan in Baz Luhrmann’s 3D adaptation of The Great Gatsby .

Edgerton’s been in line for the role for a while, with strong competition from Clash Of The Titan ’s Luke Evans.

Having awarded Edgerton the part, director Luhrmann commended his fellow Australian as having “five star acting chops”.

Other cast members already signed for Gatsby are Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire and Isla Fisher.

Before we’ll see him in Gatsby , though, Edgerton has a collection of films heading our way, among them the prequel to The Thing (due out this October) and a role opposite Tom Hardy in Warrior .

Showing he's a diverse kind of fella, Edgerton also recently signed on to head up Kathryn Bigelow's timely Kill Bin Laden .

Gatsby is expected to shoot in 3D this August in Sydney, and is due to open in 2012.