Rosamund Pike has beaten out some illustrious competition in Charlize Theron, Natalie Portman and Emily Blunt for the lead in Gone Girl. Pike will play Amy Dunn in the cinematic adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s thriller novel of the same name.

Rosamund PikeRosamund Pike at the World's End Premiere (click for more photos)

The story sees Dunne and her husband Nick amidst a difficult marriage. Nick, a former high-profile journalist, risks their future by relocating to Missouri and opening a bar with his wife’s trust fund, or what’s left of it anyway after he lost his lucrative job.

Playing Nick is Ben Affleck, the spectacularly bearded actor who lent his skills to directing recently, picking up the Oscar for Argo along the way. 20th Century Fox moved fast and hard to secure the rights to this movie and nail down Affleck – hot Hollywood property after his Academy comeback – as their lead man.

The film is built upon strong foundations; the book sold more than two million copies in its first year, something Fox see as guaranteed ticket sales when the film hits cinema, probably in late 2014, early 2015, but that’s not confirmed.

Ben AffleckAffleck plays the manipulative Nick in Gone Girl

Not only did they lay down a seven-figure sum to get the rights, they nailed a director with a strong reputation, too. David Fincher’s stock has risen since his masterpiece Fight Club was followed up by The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and The Social Network. Dark and stylish, his films lend themselves perfectly to the thriller genre, and the general consensus is Gone Girl is in safe hands with him.