Actress Lily James, who, in Downtown Abbey, is known as Lady Rose MacClare, plays the titular role in the live action movie coming from the house of Walt Disney. Here, she plays Ella, an orphan girl, who is presently living with her evil step-mother and 2 step-sisters.
This role gives Lily James a chance to prove herself on the largest stage. This opportunity is a make or break one. Before James, the role was offered originally to Emma Watson (of Harry Potter fame), who declined the offer citing tight schedules. Alicia Vikander, Saoirse Ronan, and Gabriella Wilde were also taken into consideration to play lead character in the movie.
Richard Madden (known for his role as Rob Stark in Game of Thrones) plays Kit, the handsome, dashing, charming Prince, who is largely unassuming.
The movie boasts of a star-studded ensemble. Cate Blanchett stars as the wicked step-mother, Lady Tremaine, whereas the Fairy Godmother is played by Helena Bonham Carter.
Directed by famous actor, Kenneth Branagh, Cinderella is all set for release on March 13, 2015. Branagh has stated that the movie will be based on the 1967 version by Charles Perrault. However, there is an intriguing twist to the plot. Cinderella 2015 will be narrated from the perspective of the Prince, which breaks away from the stereotypical fairy tales.
The romantic hero is offered an arranged marriage, which is advantageous in terms of politics. In return, he threatens the greedy plan of his family when he sees and falls in love at first sight with Cinderella, who is a scullery maid liked by everyone.
This timeless classic was set to be directed by Mark Romanek, who is known for stellar work in the form of Never Let Me Go and One Hour Photo. However, things did not work out and the directing opportunity was offered to Kenneth Branagh. Chris Weitz, who is the screen writer of the film, is known for the snappy dialogues in About a Boy, a family comedy. He brings about a fresh, interesting twist in the narration.
Cinderella will be the latest installment in the contemporary series of live-action flicks which involve a fresh imagination of fairy tales that are iconic and famous. The trend started with Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton and Oz the Great and Powerful by Sam Raimi.
For a fresh perspective on classic fairy tales, Cinderella 2015 is a must-watch flick.
