How cool and exciting. Noomi Rapace has signed on to play Elizabeth Shaw in the Ridley Scott directed Prometheus which even though is not yet written already has a release date of March 9, 2012. Happy International Women’s Day! (Ok, it’s the day after but you get my drift.)

The even better part is that Charlize Theron and Angelina Jolie are circling the other female lead. Now all we need is a part for Sigourney Weaver and we have pretty much all the women who’ve ever been in action flicks in one movie.

According to the piece in Deadline, Rapace was cast after Scott saw her in the Dragon Tattoo flicks. And Scott knows how to direct kick ass women having directed Thelma and Louise which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Here’s a very cryptic description from Scott about the film. Damon Lindelof (Lost) is writing the script.

While Alien was indeed the jumping off point for this project, out of the creative process evolved a new, grand mythology and universe in which this original story takes place. The keen fan will recognize strands of Alien’s DNA, so to speak, but the ideas tackled in this film are unique, large and provocative. I couldn’t be more pleased to have found the singular tale I’d been searching for, and finally return to this genre that’s so close to my heart.

Cannot wait.