"Fast and Furious 8" appears to be switching gears as the upcoming film is said to be eyeing a female A-list star to play the main villain. According to Deadline, sources said that director F. Gary Gray and screenwriter Chris Morgan are eyeing Charlize Theron for the role.

While it is uncertain where negotiations are at the moment, sources close to the situation told Variety that Universal is eager to add the "Mad Max: Fury Road" star to the ensemble cast, which includes Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, and Jason Statham. Kurt Russell, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, and Ludacris are expected to return.

Production is set to start next spring and Deadline reports that Theron might be available to film by then. Universal has no comment on any casting speculation, and it was reported that no offer has been made to Theron. Sources also told the website that the star has not seen any part of the script yet.

After her impressive work on "Fury Road," Theron will be seen in four movies this year, including "The Huntsman Winter's War," which is the sequel to 2012's "Snow White and the Huntsman." She will also star in "The Last Face" along with Javier Bardem and Jean Reno, and in the upcoming Netflix series "Mindhunter." Theron is currently filming a thriller titled "The Coldest City" along with James McAvoy. It was also reported that the 40-year-old is attached to star in "The Gray Man," and the film is said to be going through a rewrite to change the lead character from male to female.

There have been a lot of rumors regarding the cast of "Fast and Furious 8" since the film was announced last year. There was speculation that Eva Mendes might be reprising her role as Monica Fuentes, but this has yet to be confirmed by the studio.

"Fast and Furious 8" premieres on April 17, 2017.