Karl Urban facing certain <i>Doom</i>

Several weeks ago, Variety reported that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was in negotiations to star in Universal Pictures' upcoming adaptation of Doom. Today, it seems that the lead role has been given to an actor with less physical and more dramatic muscle. The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Karl Urban has been cast as the film's hero.

Hailing from New Zealand, Urban first drew public attention as the handsome-but-cruel Roman Caesar on Xena: Warrior Princess. Since then, though, he has found far greater renown as the Rohan prince Eomer in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Most recently, he appeared in the ill-fated The Chronicles of Riddick and the well-received The Bourne Supremacy.

Interestingly, the Reporter article spilled some plot details about the Doom film. Instead of a nameless space marine taking on the legions of hell while solo, "Urban will play John Grimm, the leader of a special ops team." The Reporter also said "when dealing with alien demons," Urban's character "is forced to cross paths with the organization responsible for his parents' deaths." The article did not mention the film's screenwriter, although Cinescape's ever-useful Development Heck feature credits one Dave Callaham with the script.

Directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak, Doom is currently in preproduction and is tentatively set for a 2006 release date.