Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY -- With the latest 2006 Broadway revival and the recent 25th Anniversary Concert, Les Miserables has found itself back in the spotlight again.
With fans remembering favorite tunes like, “I Dreamed a Dream” and “Bring Him Home,” it’s no wonder that Hollywood, once again, is considering adapting the musical to a star-studded film.
Broadwayworld.com is reporting that Anne Hathaway “is now set to take on the role of Fantine in the eagerly anticipated film version of the epic musical.”
Another cast member already on board, according to the article, is Hugh Jackman.
“'Woverine 2,' the sequel to the successful X Men franchise starring Hugh Jackman, may be pushed back to the spring of 2012 due to location scouting issues. This means that Jackman will shoot the Les Miserables film, in which he'll be playing Jean Valjean, first, beginning in February of 2012.”
IMDB.com seems to back up that claim, placing Jackman as a preliminary cast member and listing 2013 as the release date. IMDB also lists Paul Bettany among preliminary cast members.
"The King’s Speech" director, Tom Hooper is set to direct the film and Cameron Mackintosh, the musical’s producer, is set to produce.
This will not be the first effort to bring Victor Hugo’s original novel to film. The now-timeless tale of a repentant convict living a life for God while running from the persistent officer, Javert, was first set to celluloid in 1912, and most recently, in 1998 with actors Liam Neeson and Geoffery Rush in a non-musical adaptation.
This is, however, the first attempt to put the wildly-successful musical adaptation on the big screen.
Broadwayworld.com reported additional actors being courted for the film have included Russell Crowe for Javert; Geoffrey Rush for Thenardier; Helena Bonham Carter for Madame Thenardier; Hayden Panettiere, Miranda Cosgrove, Lucy Hale, or Emma Watson for the roles of Eponine and Cosette; and Amy Adams and Rebecca Hall.
