Rihanna to make movie debut in Battleship film

Pop singer Rihanna is to make her film debut in Peter Berg's upcoming Battleship film, based on the Hasbro board game.

The Umbrella star's casting was announced by Universal Pictures on Monday, with the Barbadian joining a cast headed by Taylor Kitsch and Alexander Skarsgard.

Set for release in summer 2012 and due to begin shooting in Hawaii this August, little is known about Battleship other than its central theme of an international fleet assembling to take on a supernatural force from the high seas.

Friday Night Lights and Wolverine actor Kitsch is to play a naval officer who leads the human fight against an otherwordly foe with Skarsgard playing his brother, a "straight-arrow naval officer" according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The nature of Rihanna's character has not yet been confirmed but she will soon begin shooting the live-action blockbuster, with a May 2012 release planned.