Now that Brett Ratner's Hercules has an August 2014 release date, the MGM-Paramount Pictures film is pushing ahead with casting.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, star Dwayne Johnson will be joined by Norwegian actor Aksel Hennie (Headhunters) as Hercules' ally Tydeus. Hennie just wrapped his first English language film The Last Knights with Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman.

Ratner's Hercules is based on Radical Publishing's 2008 comic series Hercules: The Thracian War, which sets the story in the real world where, instead of being a demigod, Hercules is a Conan-like warrior. The source material follows the Greek hero and his six battle-worn companions as they’re called upon by the Thracian king to train his army. But in Thrace Hercules and his band of lost souls discover how far they’ve fallen and what it will take to travel the path to redemption.

The film is set to open on Aug. 8, 2014.