AFTER months of searching, Tye Sheridan has emerged as the lead for “Ready Player One,” Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the Ernie Cline novel for Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow.

    Sheridan now joins Olivia Cooke and Ben Mendelsohn in the story that is set in a virtual world called Oasis, in which a teenager finds himself competing in a treasure hunt against ruthless foes after the game’s founder dies and offers his fortune as the grand prize.

    Sheridan’s casting comes after numerous waves of searches dating back to the fall of 2015. Spielberg read and tested across several continents but was never quite happy. In an unusual situations, the romantic interest and the villain were picked even as the lead role remained vacant.

    Meanwhile, on the Hollywood front, Sheridan signed a holding deal for the part in early February while Spielberg and the casting directors looked at the submissions.(SD-Agencies)