http://www.thewrap.com/emma-watson-to-s ... exclusive/
Quote:
Director Bill Condon has cast the “Harry Potter” actress as Belle in the live-action adaptation
“Harry Potter” alum Emma Watson has closed a deal to star in Disney’s live-action movie “Beauty and the Beast,” TheWrap has learned.
Bill Condon (“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn”) will direct from a script written by Stephen Chbosky, who directed Watson in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” Evan Spiliotopoulos wrote the previous draft of the screenplay.
David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman are producing under their Mandeville Films banner.
Watson is set to play Belle in “Beauty and the Beast,” which is the latest Disney classic to receive a live-action adaptation following “Maleficent,” “Cinderella” and Jon Favreau‘s upcoming take on “The Jungle Book.”
Watson had previously been attached to star in Guillermo del Toro’s “Beauty,” which the director was developing for Warner Bros before exiting the project in June, when Disney hired Condon. When WB’s version hit a snag, Disney began to court Watson for its own adaptation with del Toro’s blessing, as the studio agreed that Watson would be perfect as Belle, according to a source.
Disney’s 1991 animated feature “Beauty and the Beast” grossed more than $375 million worldwide and earned a rare Oscar nomination for Best Picture. The timeless tale also spawned a Broadway play.
Best known for playing Hermione in the Harry Potter” films, Watson has worked hard to establish herself as an actress outside of that blockbuster franchise. She recently starred in Darren Aronofsky’s “Noah” and Sofia Coppola’s “The Bling Ring,” and she also played herself in the hit comedy “This Is the End”
Watson next stars opposite Ethan Hawke in Alejandro Amenabar’s thriller “Regression.” She’s s represented by WME and Markham, Froggatt and Irwin.
“Harry Potter” alum Emma Watson has closed a deal to star in Disney’s live-action movie “Beauty and the Beast,” TheWrap has learned.
Bill Condon (“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn”) will direct from a script written by Stephen Chbosky, who directed Watson in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” Evan Spiliotopoulos wrote the previous draft of the screenplay.
David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman are producing under their Mandeville Films banner.
Watson is set to play Belle in “Beauty and the Beast,” which is the latest Disney classic to receive a live-action adaptation following “Maleficent,” “Cinderella” and Jon Favreau‘s upcoming take on “The Jungle Book.”
Watson had previously been attached to star in Guillermo del Toro’s “Beauty,” which the director was developing for Warner Bros before exiting the project in June, when Disney hired Condon. When WB’s version hit a snag, Disney began to court Watson for its own adaptation with del Toro’s blessing, as the studio agreed that Watson would be perfect as Belle, according to a source.
Disney’s 1991 animated feature “Beauty and the Beast” grossed more than $375 million worldwide and earned a rare Oscar nomination for Best Picture. The timeless tale also spawned a Broadway play.
Best known for playing Hermione in the Harry Potter” films, Watson has worked hard to establish herself as an actress outside of that blockbuster franchise. She recently starred in Darren Aronofsky’s “Noah” and Sofia Coppola’s “The Bling Ring,” and she also played herself in the hit comedy “This Is the End”
Watson next stars opposite Ethan Hawke in Alejandro Amenabar’s thriller “Regression.” She’s s represented by WME and Markham, Froggatt and Irwin.
