After several months of rumors and negotiations, Anne Hathaway has finally signed on to Oscar-winning director Tom Hooper’s follow-up to The King’s Speech, a musical adaptation of Les Miserables, based on the long-running Broadway sensation. Hathaway, who will play Fantine, will join Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe, who are slated to play Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert respectively. [Source: Deadline]
Of course, this won’t be the first time Jackman and Hathaway have sung together. When Jackman hosted the Oscars in 2009, he pulled Hathaway onstage for an “impromptu” duet during an ambitious opening number. (Scroll to 2:12 for Anne’s appearance, in which she’s to be Nixon. Obviously.)
Sure, this number is silly, but both performers show some serious singing chops. Of course, Jackman did Broadway back in 2003 as the headliner in the biopic extravaganza The Boy From Oz. Still, many question if he has the gravity required to carry the weighty role of Valjean. While Hathaway’s less proven as a singer, she seems a good choice for Fantine, as it’s a part that can easily be overwhelmed by the story’s more active characters. With Hathaway in the role, it seems Fantine just might “Dream a Dream” worth remembering.
Les Miserable is set to hit theaters in the thick of award season on December 7, 2012, and will begin shooting this March. Expect more word on casting soon!
Do you like this Les Mis lineup so far? Who would you like to see join the cast?