Ryan Gosling is still adding to the cast list for his directorial debut How to Catch a Monster, and based on his choices so far, it seems the actor likes to keep his friends close. Besides his real-life girlfriend Eva Mendes, he also took on former co-stars Christina Hendricks (Drive) and Ben Mendelsohn (The Place Beyond the Pines). Just when it looked like Gosling would exhaust his Rolodex, he diverted from the familiar with the surprising choice of Doctor Who star Matt Smith, who signed on for a lead male role. Now the group will soon be joined by another new face.

THR reported that Saoirse Ronan boarded the fantasy drama, which features Hendricks in the lead female role. Written by Gosling, the story follows Billy, a single mother of two who is swept into a macabre and dark fantasy underworld while her teenage son, Bones, discovers a secret road leading to an underwater town. The project makes perfect sense for the young Ronan, who’s built a career on the weird and the supernatural with roles in Hanna, the vampire tale Byzantium, and the upcoming sci-fi thriller The Host.

How to Catch a Monster will begin shooting in Detroit this May.

Do you think Monster is a good choice for Ronan? What do you think of the cast so far?

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