Aksel Hennie - Aksel Hennie joins The Rock in Hercules

Aksel Hennie joins The Rock in Hercules

Aksel Hennie will star opposite Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in 'Hercules'.

The little-known Norwegian star has been cast in Brett Ratner's big budget blockbuster about the mythical Greek hero with super-human strength.

In the new take on the classic tale, Hercules - played by actor-and-wrestler Dwayne - is a powerful mortal who leads a team of mercenaries on an epic adventure.

The script has been loosely adapted from graphic novel 'Hercules: The Thracian Wars' by Ryan Condal and eradicates the supernatural element of Hercules' story, who is Zeus' son in the original myth.

Aksel will play twin axe-wielding warrior Tydeus, one of the most fearful men on Hercules' team who needs to be chained up at night while he sleeps because he is so unpredictable.

The actor made a name for himself in his native Norway with thriller 'Headhunters' and has just finished filming his English-language debut 'The Last Knights' with Morgan Freeman and Clive Owen.

'Hercules' is being co-produced by Paramount and MGM and is expected to begin filming this year.