Magic is Cast in New Trailer for Disney's Live-Action 'Cinderella'

There are so many versions of Cinderella's story that I'm pretty sure we've all lost count, and even Disney itself has got a few, which now includes the live-action version of their originally animated Cinderella. And while the story has the possibility of becoming tiresome and worn out, the new trailer for the film, which stars Lily James in the title role and the wonderful Cate Blanchett as her evil stepmother, looks fantastic, I must say. 

The trailer, along with the sneak peek for the film, is filled with magic, beautiful costumes and settings, and that airy, breathless way that people talk to make the film seem even more dream-like. And what's even better about Cinderella is that Disney could release a million trailers for it, but nothing would ever be spoiled because, well, we already know what happens! 

Cinderella opens in theaters March 26, 2015 and also stars Helena Bonham-Carter as the Fairy Godmother, Richard Madden as Prince Charming, Hayley Atwell, and Stellan Skarsgard. 

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New Trailer for Disney's 'Cinderella' Casts a Spell

 Unlike Disney's Sleeping Beauty reimagining Maleficent, their live-action version of Cinderella seems to be taking a more traditional approach. Granted, it's tradition dressed up in lavish visual effects but for the most part the story is the one we're familiar with, and there's nothing wrong with that.

A new trailer for the magical fairy tale has been released, and it's easily the most lavish film Kenneth Branagh has ever directed. Lily James takes on the titular role with Cate Blanchett vamping it up as her evil stepmother, Lady Tremaine, and Helena Bonham Carter as her Fairy Godmother. While mostly following the same beats as the earlier trailer, this international cut does offer some glimpses of new footage, putting more emphasis on Blanchett who looks like the real scene-stealer. Couldn't Disney find a way to crossover Jolie's Maleficent with Blanchett's Tremaine? Somehow? Make it happen, Mouse House.

Also starring Richard Madden, Holliday Grainger, Sophie McShera, Hayley Atwell, and Stellan Skarsgard, Cinderella casts its spell on March 13th.

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First Trailer for Disney's Live-Action 'Cinderella' starring Lily James and Cate Blanchett

If the $1B earned by Alice in Wonderland taught Disney anything, it's that there is a a whole new market to be tapped into by remaking fairy tale classics. And so we've seen them jump into the genre with both feet, bringing us Maleficent earlier this year, adapting The Jungle Book and the upcoming Beauty and the Beast. That's really just the tip of the iceberg, though, continuing next year with Cinderella, and the dazzling first trailer for it has arrived.

Directed by and co-starring Kenneth Branagh (Thor) with up 'n comer Lily James in the title role, the film seems to be a straight retelling of the familiar story, not a total reimagining like Maleficent was.  Cate Blanchett stars as the wicked stepmother Lady Tremaine, Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) is Prince Charming, Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother, plus supporting roles for Branagh's Marvel pals Stellan Skarsgard and Hayley Atwell.

Cinderella opens next year on March 13th.

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Teaser Trailer and Poster for Disney's Live-Action 'Cinderella'

Disney may be about to unleash Sleeping Beauty reimagining Maleficent on us in just a few days, but let's not forget they have a steady stream of fairy tale remakes on the way. And their next attempt to cash in on their animated vault will be a live-action Cinderella, which doesn't arrive for a year but already has a teaser trailer and poster.

Kenneth Branagh, who recently directed Disney's Thor and Paramount's Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, is at the helm with Lily James as the titular heroine. Cate Blanchett will take a crack at villainy as the evil stepmother, with Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) as Prince Charming, Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother, and roles for Holliday Grainger, Stellan Skarsgard, Hayley Atwell, Derek Jacobi, Sophie McShera, and Ben Chaplin. The teasers aren't much but a reminder that the glass slippers will be making an appearance, as if there was any worry they wouldn't.

Cinderella opens in theaters March 13th 2015.


Cinderella Teaser by Stuff We Like

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First Look at Lily James as "Cinderella' In Disney's Live-Action Remake

We've seen a number of mature, darker live-action takes on fairy tales recently, from Snow White and the Huntsman and Mirror Mirror to Jack the Giant Slayer, but Disney seem to be sticking to a more traditional route. Filming has begun on Kenneth Branagh's Cinderella remake, and to go along with it we have the first official still of Downton Abbey's Lily James in the title role, and she looks very much like a Disney princess.

Starring Cate Blanchett as the wicked stepmother, Holliday Grainger and Sophie McShera as the evil stepsisters, Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother, and Richard Madden as the handsome prince, and Stellan Skarsgard as the Grand Duke, the story is the familiar one with only a couple of minor tweaks. Here's the official synopsis via Disney's press release....

"The story of Cinderella 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 honor 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."

Cinderella opens on March 13th 2015.

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Dev Patel In Talks for 'Chappie'; Michael K. Williams Joins 'Kill the Messenger'; Stellan Skarsgard Set for 'Cinderella'

* Dev Patel looked like a breakout star after Slumdog Millionaire, but it never really came to be, and now he's coasting by as part of The Newsroom ensemble. He may be getting a second chance, though, as he's in talks to join Sharlto Copley in Chappie, the next sci-fi film from Elysium and District 9 director, Neill Blomkamp. The film will be based on Blomkamp's 2004 short Tetra Vaal, which was essentially a fake ad for a robot police force in the South African slums. Copley will play one of the robotic officers, with Patel as the human lead, a man living in the impoverished town. [THR]

* The Wire and Boardwalk Empire star, the awesome Michael K. Williams, has joined the cast of Kill the Messenger, a film the CIA is probably tapping every phone and reading every email to find a way to stop. Based on a true story, the film stars Jeremy Renner as journalist Gary Webb, who exposed the CIA's arms deals with the Contras and their connection to the cocaine trade here in America. For his dogged reporting Webb was smeared in the press, lost everything, and committed suicide. Williams will play famed drug dealer "Freeway" Rick Ross, with Rosemarie DeWitt and Paz Vega co-starring. Michael Cuesta (Homeland) is directing, and obviously the timely nature of the story is going to draw a lot of attention. [TheWrap]

* With production on Disney's live-action Cinderella set to begin this fall, Kenneth Branagh is putting the finishing touches on his cast. Stellan Skarsgard has entered talks to join the film as the king's adviser, the Grand Duke. Lily James is set for the title role, with Cate Blanchett as the wicked stepmother, Helena Bonham Carter as the fairy godmother, Richard Madden as the prince, and Holliday Grainger and Sophie McShera as evil stepsisters. Skarsgard will be seen next as Dr. Selvig in Thor: The Dark World, and has Lars von Trier's Nymphomaniac coming soon. Cinderella is due to arrive on March 13th 2015.

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Helena Bonham Carter Is The Fairy Godmother in 'Cinderella'

When it comes to playing quirky, eccentric character, Helena Bonham Carter is one of the best around. But she's also remarkably diverse, able to play a regal queen in The King's Speech and a shabby bottom-feeder in Les Miserables. It sounds like she'll have a chance to show her range yet again as part of Disney's live-action Cinderella.

Carter will wave her magic wand as the Fairy Godmother to the fairy tale princess, portrayed by Lily James. Directed by Kenneth Branagh, the film also stars Cate Blanchett as the evil stepmother, Richard Madden as Prince Charming, with the cruel stepsisters played by Holliday Grainger and Sophie McShera. It sounds as if the Fairy Godmother will have a little more to do in this version, also spending time as an old beggar watching over Cinderella in secret.

I can imagine some fierce scenes between Carter and Blanchett. Hopefully they get the chance to show off a little bit. Filming on Cinderella begins later this year.[THR]

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'Game of Thrones' star Richard Madden is the prince in Disney's 'Cinderella'

Life's pretty hard when you're Robb Stark, King in the North on HBO's Sunday night staple, Game of Thrones. Hopefully he'll find things a bit easier as a prince, where all he'll have to do is sweep Cinderella off her feet and make sure she wears the right size glass slippers. After a lengthy search led to Downton Abbey's Lily James taking the title role in their live-action Cinderella, Disney has now chosen Richard Madden, who plays Stark on the hit cable series, to be her Prince Charming.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh and co-starring Cate Blanchett as the evil stepmother, Cinderella is just the latest live-action adaptation of one of Disney's animated classics. They also have a new take on Sleeping Beauty, titled Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie and due to hit theaters next year. This marks the first big screen tentpole for Madden, who also has Patrice LeConte's French romance A Promise coming up.

Filming on Cinderella begins this fall for release in 2014.

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'Downton Abbey' star Lily James lands 'Cinderella' role in Disney's live-action reboot

Disney has had a lot of problems putting together a live-action remake of Cinderella, with most of it having to do with their search for a young actress to take on the title role. Emma Watson, Alicia Vikander, Saoirse Ronan, and others circled the role at various points, but it was just last month that the race was paired down to three: Bella Heathcote, Margot Robbie, and Lily James. Well now the search is over, and the Mouse House has settled on James to play the fairy tale princess.

Probably best known for playing Lady Rose MacClare in Downton Abbey, this will be the biggest feature role in James' career. She'll join the ever-patient Cate Blanchett, who has been sitting idly by for months ready to take on the part of the evil stepmother. Kenneth Branagh will direct, having replaced previous helmer Mark Romanek some time ago.

No word on when this will shoot, but Disney will likely want to get cameras rolling soon.

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Bella Heathcote, Lily James, and Margot Robbie testing for 'Cinderella'

Disney has been playing catch up with their live-action version of Cinderella ever since Mark Romanek left the project, only to be replaced as director by Kenneth Branagh. Despite Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Alicia Vikander, and more circling the title role at one point or another, they've still failed to find someone to try on the glass slipper. Well now three more names have emerged as the search continues.

Dark Shadows star Bella Heathcote, Downton Abbey's Lily James, and Pan Am's Margot Robbie are testing for the role, with Deadline stating that one of them will "walk away" with it. Heathcote is the best known of them all and has the most cred, having recently been the best thing about David Chase's Not Fade Away. She also has a similarly unconventional look as Mia Wasikowska, who performed well in Disney's $1B-grossing Alice in Wonderland. Robbie will be seen next in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street, while James had a brief role in Wrath of the Titans.

Whoever wins the role will join Cate Blanchett, who has stuck around since the beginning as the wicked stepmother. Production on Cinderella is targeted for this fall.

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Emma Watson won't be Cinderella for Disney

Disney's had a few snags on the way to their live-action fairy tale adaptation of Cinderella, and now they've got a brand new one to deal with. Just a couple of weeks after Emma Watson was said to be in talks for the title role, Variety has tweeted quite simply that she's decided to turn it down.

No reason was given for the move, but it probably has to do with scheduling. She's supposed to be filming Beauty and the Beast with Guillermo Del Toro at some point, and maybe she figured one princess role is enough.  All of this comes after Disney lost director Mark Romanek over creative differences, replacing him with Kenneth Branagh. Cate Blanchett is still on board to play the evil stepmother, but the longer this drags on the greater the chance they lose her, too.

The original shortlist for the role consisted of Alicia Vikander, Saoirse Ronan, and Gabriella Wilde, so don't be surprised if Disney turns to them in order to get this film moving.

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Emma Watson eying Kenneth Branagh's 'Cinderella'

When Mark Romanek was still on board for Disney's live-action Cinderella film, the three ladies vying for the title role were Alicia Vikander, Gabriella Wilde, and Saoirse Ronan. All solid choices, but they appear to have been brushed aside ever since Romanek was replaced in the director's chair by Kenneth Branagh. His attentions have turned to another actress, one with clear franchise experience.

Variety reports that Emma Watson is in talks to wear the slipper of Cinderella in the film, an update on the fairy tale we all know and love. She'd be joining Cate Blanchett, long set to play the evil stepmother who makes her life miserable. Chris Weitz and Aline Brosh-McKenna penned the script.

After branching out and doing her own thing for awhile post-Harry Potter, this would be Watson's big return to blockbuster territory. Filming on Cinderella is set to begin this fall.

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Kenneth Branagh may direct Disney's 'Cinderella'

Kenneth Branagh doesn't want you to think of him as that guy who only directs Shakespeare adaptations. While a case can be made that there's something quite Shakespearean about Marvel's Thor, the same definitely can't be said about Jack Ryan. Clearly, he's moving in the direction of more mainstream, popcorny features.

Just a few weeks ago, Mark Romanek stepped down from Disney's live-action Cinderella, and now Vulture says Branagh is in talks to take over. Cate Blanchett is the only one confirmed at this point, still locked in for the role of the evil stepmother. That may depend on whether or not Disney hits the fall start date, so they'll likely be scrambling to get Branagh under contract.

Gabriella Wilde, Saoirse Ronan, and Alicia Vikander were most recently circling the title role, but it's unclear if that's still the case. Chris Weitz(The Golden Compass) wrote the most recent draft of the script, originally completed by Aline Brosh McKenna.

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Mark Romanek exits Disney's 'Cinderella'

The slipper has come off of Disney's live-action adaptation of Cinderella, just as it seemed to be progressing quite nicely. Cate Blanchett had recently been set to play the evil stepmother, and actresses such as Saoirse Ronan, Alicia Vikander, and Gabriella Wilde were in the running for the title role. But Deadline is now reporting that director Mark Romanek(Never Let Me Go) has departed the film due to clashes with the studio over the tone.

Apparently, Romanek's vision was simply too dark for the studio, who probably want it to be lighter and more accessible to general audiences.  I'm guessing they'd love it if it turned out like Mirror Mirror or along those lines. This isn't the first time Romanek has run into such an issue, having left The Wolfman for similar reasons. He lucked out on that one. My question is why they would pick Romanek for a film like this, anyway? His resume, which includes the psycho-drama One Hour Photo, don't peg him as the sort to do bright and cheerful.

Disney still plans to move forward with Cinderella this summer, and is actively seeking a director to step in so as to keep the schedule intact. Romanek's a great filmmaker, so hopefully he rebounds from this onto something more his speed.

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Saoirse Ronan, Alicia Vikander, and Gabriella WIlde in the running for 'Cinderella'

Just a few days ago we learned Disney was moving forward in a big way with Cate Blanchett circling the evil stepmother role in a live-action Cinderella, to be directed by Mark Romanek(Never Let Me Go). Well, today brings word on three actresses who will get the privilege of being the object of her scorn.

Variety reports that Saoirse Ronan, Gabriella Wilde, and Alicia Vikander are vying for the role, with Ronan probably having a leg up on her competition. Ronan was at one time attached to star in Disney's Order of the Seven, a Snow White adaptation that was shelved after two other similar films were released in just a few months. So she has a connection to the studio already, and according to the story Blanchett was set for 'Order' as well, so this could be Disney just repackaging an earlier plan. Plus, Ronan clearly has more experience than the other two ladies, and could be red hot if The Host turns out to be the hit some are expecting. But she's also the most busy, and has a pair of major productions coming up that could interfere with scheduling.

Wilde is probably the least known of the three, having made her biggest U.S. appearance in The Three Musketeers. She'll turn up next opposite Chloe Moretz in the Carrie remake. Meanwhile, Vikander is on a roll right now. She was one of the best parts of Joe Wright's Anna Karenina, stars in the Best Foreign Language contender A Royal Affair, and even has a potential franchise gig in The Seventh Son. I'd love to see Vikander get a role like this and really boost her profile. Remember what Alice in Wonderland did for Mia Wasikowska? Or what Kick-Ass did for Chloe Moretz?

No word on when filming will begin, but I imagine a lot of it will have to do with who they ultimately choose.

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