Emma Watson To Star In 'Cinderella'

Emma Watson is in talks to star in Kenneth Branagh’s live-action take on the Cinderella story.

Watson, best known as the Harry Potter series’ Hermione, has been approached to star in Disney’s Cinderella adaptation. Cate Blanchett has already been locked in to play the role of the wicked stepmother in the film that's set to be directed by Branagh and produced by Simon Kinberg. Other actresses who Disney had considered for the part of Cinderella included The Three Musketeers' Gabriella Wilde, Imogen Poots from Need for Speed and Anna Karenina’s Alicia Vikander, according to Variety.

In recent years, Walt Disney has released a series of new live-action versions of childhood tales, including Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent starring Angelia Jolie and the upcoming Oz: The Great and Powerful directed by Sam Raimi. This take on the Cinderella story was inspired by a pitch from Alicia Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada) and developed into a script by Chris Weitz (About A Boy). Production for the film is slated to begin this fall, which would see it released sometime in 2014.

Watson has had a busy schedule since her work in the Harry Potter franchise wrapped up. Her turn in The Perks of Being a Wallflower released last year received rave reviews. On the horizon is Noah directed by Darren Aronofsky, the Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg comedy This is the End and the drama Your Voice in My Head.