Two of the young stars of the “Harry Potter” franchise have announced future projects on the very same day, both with a literary spin.
Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe are in talks to join director Kenneth Branagh’s “Cinderella” and a revisionist version of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” respectively. Both reports came from Variety within a few minutes of each other.
For some time now, Radcliffe has been circling the role of Igor in a new version of “Frankenstein” from director Paul McGuigan and “Chronicle” writer Max Landis, and Variety is reporting that the young actor is now in final talks to join the project.
At this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Radcliffe spoke to MTV News’ Josh Horowitz about the prospect of joining “Frankenstein,” which the actor says is “interesting” but a very loose adaptation of the original novel. Production on the gothic horror film would begin after Radcliffe’s run on London’s West End in Martin McDonagh’s “The Cripple of Inishmaan.”
“To say it’s in any way an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ is probably — it’s a Max Landis script, so for anyone who’s familiar with Max Landis you’ll have some sense of what that will mean,” Radcliffe said. “I was thinking the other day — I don’t know if that is or is not going to happen at all — but my body could go through it this year playing ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ and then that. My chiropractor is going to be very grateful.”
Disney’s live-action adaptation of “Cinderella” has recently seen some serious changes. Mark Romanek had been set to direct the film, with Cate Blanchett in the role of the wicked stepmother, but the studio reportedly rejected his vision for being too dark. Branagh joined shortly after Romanek’s departure, and now it seems that the project may have finally found its lead.
Watson is said to be in early talks to join the production as the classic rags-to-riches princess. She is coming off a series of high-profile roles, including a critically acclaimed turn in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” and Darren Aronofsky’s upcoming “Noah.”
-MTV