'The Avengers' star Scarlett Johansson to play Janet Leigh in 'Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho'

Credit: AP Photo/Evan Agostini (Johansson); Universal Pictures (Leigh)

Scarlett Johansson has nabbed the plum role of Janet Leigh in Fox Searchlight's "Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho", an upcoming biopic that sheds light on the difficulties Hitchcock suffered during the making of the classic horror film. Leigh was, of course, one of the stars of the film - an A-list movie actress who audiences were shocked to see being violently killed off before the halfway mark.

In addition to Johansson, James D'Arcy has also been added to the cast and will play the part of Anthony Perkins, the late actor who portrayed the psychotic hotel owner/mama's boy Norman Bates. D'Arcy bears a striking resemblance to Perkins, who died from complications of AIDS in 1992.

The news was broken by Variety.

The two young thesps join Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren - previously cast as Hitchcock and his wife Alma, respectively - and director Sacha Gervasi ("Anvil! The Story of Anvil"), who became attached to the project back in November. The script was written by "Black Swan" scribe John J. McLaughlin.

Johansson will next be seen in the hugely-anticipated superhero tentpole "The Avengers" as Black Widow. Darcy, who was last seen in Madonna's "W.E.", has a role in the upcoming Wachowski Bros. sci-fi film "Cloud Atlas" that also stars Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess and Susan Sarandon.

What do you think of the casting of Johansson and D'Arcy? Do you believe they're the right fit for the parts, or are there other actors you believe would have made better choices? Sound off in the comments!