Homeland's Rupert Friend in Talks to Replace Paul Walker in Hitman Sequel Agent 47

Keira Knightley's ex-boyfriend could potentially star in role originally intended for late Fast and the Furious star

By Rebecca Macatee Jan 09, 2014 9:44 PMTags
Rupert Friend Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Rupert Friend (you probably know him as Peter Quinn from Homeland or possibly as Keira Knightley's ex-boyfriend) is "in talks" to play a role originally cast for Paul Walker, a source confirms to E! News.

The dreamy 32-year-old Brit is potentially replacing the late Fast and the Furious star in the Aleksander Bach-directed film Agent 47. Per Variety, who was first to report the casting news, the film is a follow up to the 2007 Hitman with Timothy Olyphant.

Walker's commitment to Agent 47 was "a major part of the film getting a greenlight," said a source.  When the actor died tragically Nov. 30, 2013, "it looked as if this film would not be able to move forward, since the production start date was set for February [2014] and there was no major star involved."

PHOTOS: Casting couch!

Per Variety, details about the plot of the film are unknown at this time. Friend, however, seems to be able to take on a wide variety of roles.

Of course, on Homeland, Friend is one of the few able to (try to) keep up with Claire Danes character. And who could forget his role as the Mr. Wickham (aka the anti-Mr. Darcy) in the 2005 film version of Pride &  Prejudice?  

Of course, no one can ever replace Walker, but should Mr. Friend end up stepping into this Agent 47 role, he certainly possesses the talent to do the role justice.