Emma Watson is set to play the lead opposite Tom Hanks in James Ponsoldt’s next movie “The Circle,” which is a co-production between Playtone and Likely Story. It was previously reported that Emma was offered the part, but seems like it’s official now.
Ponsoldt (“The Spectacular Now”) adapted the novel written by Dave Eggers and will also produce with Playtone’s Hanks and Gary Goetzman and Likely Story’s Anthony Bregman.
Watson will play a young woman who’s hired for a big job in an Internet monopoly called the Circle, which links users’ personal emails, social media, banking, and purchasing with their universal operating system, resulting in one online identity and a new age of civility and transparency. It’s there that she meets a mysterious older man, who will be played by two-time Oscar winner Hanks.
Watson will segue to “The Circle” once she wraps Disney’s live-action “Beauty and the Beast,” in which she stars alongside Dan Stevens and Luke Evans. She next stars opposite Ethan Hawke in Alejandro Amenabar’s thriller “Regression,” and she has also wrapped the indie thriller “Colonia,” in which she stars opposite Daniel Bruhl.
Alicia Vikander is likely to drop off “The Circle”, which was one of the hottest Cannes pic packages. Word we are hearing is that the producers have made an offer to Harry Potter star Emma Watson to play the young female lead.
“The Circle”, based on a Dave Eggers novel and written and directed by James Ponsoldt, was one of the hottest titles at the just-wrapped Cannes market. Vikander’s attachment was only announced on the eve of of the festival — to play a young employee at a tech company called The Circle, who gets involved with a mysterious man — with IM Global virtually selling out international with a slew of big indie deals.
Hanks and Gary Goetzman’s shingle Playtone is producing along with Anthony Bregman’s Likely Story and Ponsoldt and Walter Parkes and Laurie Macdonald. Image Nation Abu Dhabi is fully financing and will present the film in association with Parkes Macdonald Productions. Having Image Nation on board, along with its commitment to finance, gives the project a level of protection against the vagaries of casting and scheduling.
Emma was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People and she attended the gala held in New York earlier this week. HQ images have been added in our gallery.
Jill Abramson wrote Emma’s 100 Most Influential People In The World Tribute, which you can find after the jump.
Disney has and confirmed the cast of it’s live-action “Beauty and the Beast.” The movie will be released on March 17, 2017. Variety is reporting the following story:
Disney has set a March 17, 2017, release date for its live-action “Beauty and the Beast.”
The film stars “Harry Potter” actress Emma Watson as Belle, “Downton Abbey” alum Dan Stevens as the Beast and Luke Evans as Gaston. Josh Gad has also been cast as LeFou.
Emma Thompson has joined the cast as Mrs. Potts and Kevin Kline as Belle’s father, Maurice.
“Beauty and the Beast” is the first film set for the date. Lionsgate will open “The Allegiant Series, Part 2″ a week later.
Bill Condon is directing, with David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman of Mandeville Films producing. The script was written by Evan Spiliotopoulos and rewritten by Stephen Chbosky.
Alan Menken, who won two Oscars for the 1991 animated version of “Beauty and the Beast,” will score the new film, which will include new recordings of the original songs in addition to new songs written by Menken and Tim Rice.
Production will begin in May at Shepperton Studios in London.