Dune's Rebecca Ferguson signs up for intriguing new sci-fi thriller starring Marvel's Chris Pratt

Dune's Rebecca Ferguson is set to star in Mercy, an intriguing new sci-fi thriller from Amazon's MGM Studios. Guardians of the Galaxy's Chris Pratt is already attached to the project, though the supporting cast remains under wraps for now.

According to Deadline, Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) will direct, working from a script by Marco van Belle. Majd Nassif and Oppenheimer's Charles Roven are locked in to produce. Filming is expect to start sometime in the next couple of months.

We're curious as to how the sci-fi elements will be weaved in, as all we know of the plot so far is that it'll center around Pratt's detective, as he tries to prove his innocence after being accused of a violent crime.

Ferguson can currently be seen in Dune: Part Two, the eagerly anticipated sequel to Denis Villeneuve's 2021 adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic sci-fi novel. Its predecessor centers on Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), the son of a powerful Duke, whose life gets turned upside down when his father Leto (Oscar Isaac) accepts a stewardship role on the hostile planet of Arrakis. At the end of Part 1, Paul and his mother, Lady Jessica (Ferguson), align themselves with the desert world's people, the Fremen, in an attempt to free it from the unlawful, brutal Harkonnens and fulfil Leto's dream of bringing peace to the land.

(Image credit: Prime Video)

Part 2, which has already shattered box-office records, picks up right where Part 1 left off, with Paul, Jessica, and Chani (Zendaya) making a play against Christopher Walken's scheming Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV and the powerful Bene Gesserit. What's in store beyond that when it comes to the big screen – HBO is currently developing a spin-off series – remains a mystery for now, though Villeneuve has voiced his desire to develop a third movie.

Pratt will next be heard in Garfield, a new animated take on the lazy, lasagna-loving, Monday-hating moggy, as he causes problems for his owner Jon Arbuckle, and Jon's sweet-natured dog Odie. 

For more on Dune: Part Two, check out our coverage below...

• Dune 2 ending explained
• Does Dune 2 have a post-credits scene?
• What could happen in Dune 3, according to the books
• The Dune 2 and book differences
• Who does Anya Taylor-Joy play in Dune 2?
• When will Dune 2 be on streaming?
• Zendaya and Florence Pugh discuss the women of Dune 2
• Zendaya discusses Chani’s personal journey in Dune 2
• Director Denis Villeneuve on why there is a bigger focus on Chani
• Director Denis Villeneuve on comparisons to The Empire Strikes Back
• Director Denis Villeneuve on Timothee Chalamet’s transformative performance
• Actor Stellan Skarsgard on playing the villain
• Actor Stellan Skarsgard on working with Austin Butler
• How Dune 2 brings motherhood into the focus in a powerful way