On the cusp of Ridley Scott’s return to R-rated sci-fi territory with Prometheus, the director is already busy aligning the cast for his next project. Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem are set for the Cormac McCarthy project The Counselor, but he’s been having trouble locking down the female roles, with Penelope Cruz the latest to be attached.

Twitch now lets us know that Cameron Diaz has joined the film as Malkina, a role that was circled by Angelina Jolie. In the screenplay she’s an Argentinian drug dealer close with the Reiner character, but perhaps her origins have changed to fit casting. I honestly can’t picture Diaz in the role, an actress who has done little to impress the last few years. Hopefully Scott will be able to pull out a worthwhile performance out of her.

The star will next be seen alongside Colin Firth in the Coens-scripted Gambit remake, since we’re all collectively wiping What to Expect When You’re Expecting from our minds. Described as “No Country For Old Men on steroids,” The Counselor follows “a respected lawyer who thinks he can dip a toe in to the drug business without getting sucked down.” Expect a 2013 release as production gears up this spring.

What do you think about Diaz starring in this Ridley Scott project?