Jessica Chastain Cast in the Huntsman

When it was first announced that the Huntsman, a guy most fairy tale aficionados recall as the world’s most incompetent henchman, would be going solo in the sequel/spin-off to 2012’s Snow White and the Huntsman, I suspect that many an eyebrow was raised.

But now that Jessica Chastain, coming off a strong 2014 with roles in Interstellar and A Most Violent Year, has joined the fairy tale franchise, eyebrows are being raised for other reasons. Snow White, who?

As a follow-up to the 2012 Kristen Stewart vehicle that made about $400 million worldwide, The Huntsman reunites Hemsworth with the real star of that decidedly grim Snow White movie: Charlize Theron. How Theron’s evil queen returns after dying the good death in the original is a mystery, and frankly we don’t care. Honestly, this franchise might serve well as a chronicle of Theron’s truly malevolent adventures.

Chastain also has a busy release schedule coming up in 2015, as she is set to appear in Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak this October (which you really should watch the trailer for here), as well as Ridley Scott’s latest sci-fi epic, The Martian, which also stars Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, and Kate Mara.

Frank Darabont was originally scheduled to direct the picture but has since dropped out. However, first-time helmer Cedric Nicolas-Troyan is at least working from Darabont’s script.

The Huntsman swings into theaters on April 22, 2016.