‘The Great Gatsby’ director Baz Luhrmann has hired Joel Edgerton to portray Tom Buchanan in his upcoming film adaptation of the 1925 novel of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Deadline is reporting. Edgerton will star alongside already announced actors Leonardo DiGaprio, who will portray the title character; Tobey Maguire, who will play Nick Carraway; Carey Mulligan, who will portray Daisy Buchanan; Isla Fisher, who will play Gatsby’s mistress Myrtel; and Elizabeth Debicki, who will portray Jordan Baker.

Edgerton is taking over the role from Ben Affleck, who had to withdraw from the project so that he could direct and star ‘Argo’ for Warner Bros. The studio will also distribute ‘The Great Gatsby,’ and will release it in 3D.

Luchrmann said he cast Edgerton as Buchanan because he “had to find an actor who could credibly be (as Fitzgerald describes him) ‘one of the most powerful ends that ever played football at New Haven,’ had five-star acting chops and in the big dramatic showdown scenes between Gatsby and Tom, hold the screen against (Leonardo) DiCaprio.”

Written by: Karen Benardello