Jeremy Renner and Noomi Rapace to star as the title characters in Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters?

We first touched on DEAD SNOW director Tommy Wirkola’s upcoming re-imagining of the Hansel and Gretel story, HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS, almost a year ago, reporting that the horror-comedy (from producers Kevin Messick, Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, and Chris Henchy) would be aiming for a gory but fun SHAUN OF THE DEAD-like vibe. Many figured Ferrell would jump aboard as Hansel, but the actual choice turns out to be a little more out of left field…

According to Twtich, future IMF agent (or whatever) Jeremy Renner and former girl with the dragon tattoo Noomi Rapace are apparently up for the title roles of Hansel and Gretel respectively. The information comes from an interview that took place at the Venice International Film Festival (via Norwegian website Dagsavisen) where Renner let the info slip. As you might recall, Rapace’s connection was already hinted at when reports of her being sought after for big Hollywood parts began making the rounds last month.

Here’s a little bit on the film from producer Adam McKay in an interview with MTV back in May:

“It’s got kind of like a steampunk vibe mixed with a little bit of a goth edge and hyper-cartoon violence like “Kick-Ass” and all set in a very specific world. It’s not a comedy. Although, you could say “Kick-Ass” had some really funny stuff in it. It’s a comedy in that sense. It’s like a Sam Raimi-type horror movie, like “Evil Dead II,” only a little nastier, a little more modern.”