Disney is currently hard at work on a live action take for their classic fairytale Cinderella. Everything was going well too until director Mark Romanek dropped out due to creative differences. Apparently he wanted something a lot darker than the studio did. So now, there’s a gap to fill and according to Vulture, Kenneth Branagh may be stepping in.
Cate Blanchett is apparently still on board to play the wicked stepmother and the hunt for Cinderella herself is still on. Saoirse Ronan has been linked to the project in the past but who knows if that’s still a go. Once Disney officially signs Branagh though, you can bet they’ll find someone to fill the titular role pretty quickly. After all, this should be a pretty high profile project and I’m sure many of Hollywood’s top young talents have their eye on this one.
Under Branagh’s direction, you can expect a more tame and family-friendly approach, as opposed to the dark and edgy route that Romanek likely would have taken. Either way, both directors are unlikely choices for the project and I was surprised to see both of their names attached. That being said, I would have much preferred Romanek’s darker version as opposed to what will likely be a watered down, for the kiddies version that we’ll get with Branagh.
Not that Branagh is a bad director, far from it, it’s just that if Disney split with Romanek because his version was too dark, then they’re obviously looking for someone to make the film lighter and more accesible, right?
Production will likely get underway in London this Fall for a 2014 release, so expect to hear more news on this one soon.
What do you think of Disney’s Cinderella so far? Are you happy with Branagh replacing Romanek? Who would you rather see direct? Let us know in the comments section below.
