From Asgard to glass slippers, Kenneth Branagh is certainly becoming more and more of a commercial studio director. After THOR, Branagh got the job directing this year’s Tom Clancy reboot, JACK RYAN with Chris Pine. After that, his next project appears to be Disney’s live action remake of CINDERELLA.
Vulture reports that Mark Romanek (NEVER LET ME GO) has left the project three weeks ago which has opened the door for Branagh. Cate Blanchett is still attached to star as the Wicked Stepmother. No word on whether the film will follow the animated classic or create a new version, much like Disney’s ALICE IN WONDERLAND and upcoming MALEFICENT. CINDERELLA has been in development since 2011 with the involvement of writers Simon Kinsberg, Aline Brosh McKenna, and Chris Weitz. Weitz’s most recent draft of the screenplay seems to be the winner at this point.
I don’t know why, but this sounds like a perfect directing choice for the material. Branagh’s work on his Shakespeare films HAMLET and MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING seems like it would be a perfect fit for the romantic world of the fairy tale. CINDERELLA does not feature much supernatural elements aside from the fairy godmothers, but Disney can make anything happen at this point.
Disney is still aiming for a 2014 release, so expect casting news soon!
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