If you were wondering what the status of Disney’s new live-action take on
Cinderella was, wonder no more: it just started shooting!
Kenneth Branagh and his crew began cranking the cameras at Pinewood,
and the first image of Lily James as the titular character has been released.
With
Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Helena Bonham Carter, Holliday Grainger, Sophie McShera, Stellan Skarsgard, Derek Jacobi and Nonso Anozie among the cast, the new version promises a few changes to the traditional tale, while keeping to the basic structure.
The script, written by
Chris Weitz, follows the fortunes of young Ella whose merchant father remarries following the tragic death of her mother. Keen to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new stepmother Lady Tremaine and her daughters Anastasia and Drisella into the family home.
But when Ella's father suddenly and unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family. Finally relegated to nothing more than a servant girl covered in ashes, and spitefully renamed Cinderella, Ella could easily begin to lose hope. Yet, despite the cruelty inflicted upon her, Ella is determined to honour her mother's dying words and to "have courage and be kind."
She will not give in to despair nor despise those who abuse her. And then there is the dashing stranger she meets in the woods. Unaware that he is really a prince, not merely an employee at the Palace, Ella finally feels she has met a kindred soul. It appears as if her fortunes may be about to change when the Palace sends out an open invitation for all maidens to attend a ball, raising Ella's hopes of once again encountering the charming "Kit."
Alas, her stepmother forbids her to attend and callously rips apart her dress. But, as in all good fairy tales, help is at hand as a kindly beggar woman steps forward and, armed with a pumpkin and a few mice, changes Cinderella's life forever.
Branagh seems happy with the assignment: “It is impossible to think of
Cinderella without thinking of Disney and the timeless images we've all grown up watching. And those classic moments are irresistible to a filmmaker.”
He’s also pleased with the cast he’s put together, which is nice. “With
Lily James we have found our perfect
Cinderella. She combines knockout beauty with intelligence, wit, fun and physical grace. Her Prince is being played by Richard Madden, a young actor with incredible power and charisma. He is funny, smart and sexy and a great match for Cinderella.”
Cinderella will go to the cinematic ball in 2015 – a March 13, release is set for the States, but there’s no confirmed date for the UK just yet.
Source: Empire Online
No comments:
Post a Comment