Helen Mirren has a way of making everything about getting older look awesome. She won her first Oscar at 62, was later photographed looking smoking hot in a bathing suit, and seems to take on whatever role suits her, whether it's riding a unicorn in Inkheart or romancing Tolstoy in The Last Station, out later this year.

And now she's going for the comic book geeks. Screen Daily mentions in a brief rundown that Mirren is a new cast member in Red, the adaptation of the DC Comics story about a CIA agent brought back into the spy life when an assassin shows up to kill him. Mirren will probably play the role of Red's handler, who is one of his only contacts with the outside world after he leaves the CIA.

Everything I know about Red has been gleaned from its bare-bones Wikipedia page, so I'd love for someone to let me know if this is a meaty role for Mirren or not. Of course, it doesn't really matter-- even if she only pops up for a scene or two, Mirren is always, always worth watching.

(Hat tip to Coming Soon for pointing out the Screen Daily story.)