Rooney Mara, a relative unknown, has been cast as goth hacker Lisbeth Salander in David Fincher's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo .
The actress, who's most high-profile role to date was in this year's A Nightmare On Elm Street remake, beat competition from A-list actresses such as Natalie Portman, Ellen Page and Anne Hathaway for the much coveted role.
Tattooed, pierced and no-nonsense, Lisbeth Salander is the star of all three books in the Millenium Trilogy, the best-selling series written by the late Stieg Larsson.
She is an expert hacker who lends her considerable skills and intelligence to journalist Mikael Blomkvist as he investigates a decades old disappearance.
One of the strongest and most complex female characters in recent creation, the race to play her in the English language remake of the hit Swedish adaptation has inspired much rumor of late.
With the prize being a starring role in a potential box-office smashing, awards baiting trilogy, it's easy to see why nearly every actress in Hollywood had been vying for the part.
Mara, who also appears in Fincher's The Social Network , rounds out the cast of Dragon Tattoo , which already includes Daniel Craig as Blomkvist, Robin Wright and Stellan Skarsgard.
Filming is due to start in September this year in Sweden, with the release set for December, 2011.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo ? Or The Girl With The Mountain To Climb? Let us know.
