So This Is Pretty Cool …
… Anne Hathaway has signed on to play Fantine in a new filmed version of Victor Hugo’s novel about post-Revolution era France.
Slashfilm has the skinny:
“We’ve been hearing rumors for a while, but now it’s official: Anne Hathaway has closed a deal to star opposite Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe in Les Misérables, King’s Speech director Tom Hooper‘s adaptation of the hit Broadway show and Victor Hugo novel. Read more after the jump.
Set in 19th-century France, Les Misérables follows kindhearted Valjean (Jackman), who gets sentenced to prison for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family. Nineteen years later, he finally goes free and gets wrapped up in a revolution as he seeks to redeem himself. Meanwhile, police inspector Javert (Crowe) is determined to put Valjean back in jail.
As has long been suspected, Hathaway has landed the part of Fantine, the unwed mother of Valjean’s eventual charge Cosette. The character sacrifices everything to provide for her daughter, eventually turning to prostitution. Her signature number is “I Dreamed a Dream,” which has been covered in recent years by Susan Boyle and Glee‘s Lea Michele and Idina Menzel — which sets a pretty high bar for Hathaway’s singing.”
Les Miserables opens in December 2012, putting it into Oscar contention for next year.
The Cineaste's Lament. 