Just a week after it was announced that Jessica Biel was in talks to play Viper in James Mangold‘s The Wolverine, it was announced that she was no longer in talks to play as the venomous character. That left another empty spot on the casting list, and with Mangold ready to start production, the search for a replacement began.

But the search is now over again, because Svetlana Khodchenkova is in talks to play as Viper. According to sources, even though negotiations are being held it’s expected that the deal will be completed very soon.

Most of us in the states might not recognize her, as the actress is very well known in Russia. But Khodchenkova did have a small role in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. So if the actress was looking for a role for some stateside recognition, then this may be just the role to do it.

Twitch describes the character as one to be of Easter European descent who has a complex relationship with Wolverine. She also blackmails him into having a phony marriage.

The film is based on Chris Clarmont‘s and Frank Miller‘s story arc that follows Wolverine as an outsider in Japan.

Khodchenkova joins Hugh Jackman, Hiroyuki Sanada (The Last Samurai), Hal Yamanouchi (The Way Back), Will Yun Lee (Die Another Day), Tao Okamoto, and Rila Fukushima.

Do you like Khodchenkova being cast as Viper in The Wolverine?

[Source: Twitch]