‘Underworld 5: Next Generation’ Kate Beckinsale Officially Returns as Selene; Female Director Hired to Damage Control Gender Inequality Criticisms against Hollywood?

By Staff Writer

May 18 2015, 10:14 AM EDT

"Underworld 5: Next Generation" lead star Kate Beckinsale has been officially announced to reprise role as the leather-clad vampire, Selene, for the next installment in the horror franchise.

This clears the speculation that "Divergent" and "Insurgent" actor Theo James would be replacing her in the film but as to date, it seems that both stars are going to be featured in the film. Though Theo who was previously seen in "Underworld: Awakening" as David, is not clear yet if he will be one of the leads or just supporting.

Rumors reveal that this film will be Kate's last center-character in the movie. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the franchise is focusing "on a new and younger generation of vampires and werewolves who are locked in a seemingly never-ending battle between supernatural races."

Although Cory Goodman who is penning the script is not saying a word about the plot yet, the possibilities include the writers still developing David's character before he becomes the lead in the succeeding installments. Selene also does not have to abruptly end in this film and can still appear in the following series but as supporting character only.

Meanwhile, a turning point in the direction of the franchise has also just been made as Anna Foerster was announced to be helming the said movie. This marks the first time that a woman will be sitting at the director's chair in a female-led horror franchise.

Foerster has done second-unit work and was Roland Emmerich's right-hand woman as the director of photography on movies such as "The Day After Tomorrow" and "White House Down."

The sudden hiring of female directors such as Foerster's case which happened at the same time that Sony hired a female director for the reboot of "The Craft" may have been to act as a damage control although it happened prior to the American Civil Liberties Union criticizing Hollywood for a "systemic failure to hire women directors at all levels of the film and television industry." They could have known about the union's move beforehand and decided to act on it.

Or it could have simply happened by luck - and the directors' capabilities alone.

"Underworld 5: Next Generation" will be the sequel for "Underworld: Awakening" released in 2012 which follows the story of Kate Beckinsale's character, Selene, a vampire death-dealer. No release date has been fixed yet for the fifth installment but the movie is already in production filming in Prague, Germany this October.