Guillermo del Toro To Direct ‘Beauty and the Beast’ – Emma Watson Is In Final Negotiations To Star

Variety bring word that Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy) is set to direct an adaptation of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ for Warner Bros, with Emma Watson set to star. Producer Denise Di Novi first talked about the project last year as a film she’ll produce with del Toro, now it seems del Toro is planning to direct as well as produce with Andrew Davies (The Three Musketeers, Bridget Jones’s Diary) providing the screenplay. The report reveals that “Harry Potter” star Emma Watson is in final negotiations to headline the film as Belle.

Del Toro, who’s currently filming his sci-fi adventure flick ’Pacific Rim’ for Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures, plans to write a treatment for ‘Beauty and the Beast’ from which Davies will work. ‘Pacific Rim’ is currently set for a May 10th, 2013 release, that film stars the likes of Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Charlie Day, Rinko Kikuchi, Max Martini, Willem Dafoe, Robert Kazinsky, Clifton Collins Jr., Diego Klattenhoff and Ron Perlman.

Having wrapped her long-running role as Hermione Granger in the ‘Harry Potter’ films, Emma Watson will next reteam with director David Yates, who helmed the last four ‘Harry Potter’ films, for ‘Your Voice in My Head,’ which follows a self-destructive writer (Emma Watson’s character) who struggles with her personal issues and embarks on the difficult road to recovery. Watson also recently co-starred in ‘My Week With Marilyn’ and will soon be seen in the much anticipated ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower.’ Expect more details regarding ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and Emma Watson’s involvement soon.