After departing The Wolfman late in the game, Never Let Me Go director Mark Romanek was thought to have his first studio film lined up with Disney’s new take on Cinderella. But in a moment of deja vu, the studio clashed with his dark vision and they parted ways. As a star is still attached with Cate Blanchett, producers wanted to push the project forward and immediately began a search for a new director. Now, just a few weeks later, it looks like they have found their match.
According to Vulture, Kenneth Branagh is in talks to take over the project, still keeping on track a fall London shoot for a 2014 release. Easily becoming one of Hollywood’s top go-to directors, he crafted a better-than-expected movie out of Thor for Marvel and recently finished production on his Jack Ryan adaptation, set to debut this December. While the production has Blanchett locked in as the evil stepmother, they are having a hard time pinning down the lead role.
We may have a Hanna reunion as Saoirse Ronan was one of the three contenders vying for the coveted, iconic character. Others include Alicia Vikander (who recently starred alongside Mads Mikkelsen in A Royal Affair as well as in Anna Karenina) and Gabriella Wilde (who popped up in The Three Musketeers and will be seen this fall in the Carrie remake). Written by About a Boy‘s Chris Weitz, the film follows the prince, who set for a politically arranged marriage, until the evil plan is threatened when the prince meets Cinderella.
Are you looking forward to a Branagh-directed Cinderella?