Steven Spielberg 'Ready Player One' Cast Shortlist: Elle Fanning, Olivia Cooke or Lola Kirke

Steven Spielberg will direct the highly anticipated movie adaptation of Ernest Cline's 2011 best-selling book, Ready Player One, which is set for release on December 15, 2017. A new report from TheWrap says that the director has narrowed down his shortlist for likely cast members for the female lead in the movie, Art3mis, to three actresses: Elle Fanning, Olivia Cooke and Lola Kirke.

Fanning has starred in Super 8 (directed by J.J. Abrams, but produced by Spielberg), Maleficent and The Boxtrolls. Cooke is perhaps best known for her work on the television series Bates Motel, but she has also starred in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Kirke, meanwhile, received acclaim for her work in Gone Girl and, most recently, for Mistress America opposite Greta Gerwig.

TheWrap reports the three actresses will test for the role of Art3mis, the avatar of Samantha Cook inside the OASIS, the virtual reality universe in which most of Ready Player One takes place. However, the site also notes that insiders say the casting process is still in the early stages and casting director Ellen Lewis is trimming the field of contenders for Spielberg so that he can hit the ground running after he completes his work on Bridge of Spies and The BFG.

Two other actresses are also on the list, according to the report, but their identities are unknown.

Bear in mind that Fanning and Spielberg have known each other for years, partly because he directed her sister, Dakota Fanning, in War of the Worlds in 2005.

Justin Kroll of Variety also reports that Spielberg likes Nick Robinson for Wade Watts, the male lead in the movie. Wade's avatar in the book is called Parzival.

What do you think of these possible casting choices? Do you have a different actress in mind for Art3mis? What about for Wade/Parzival? Let us know your fantasy casting in the comments section below.