Anne Hathaway - Anne Hathaway Signs On To Les Miserables

Anne Hathaway Signs On To Les Miserables

Anne Hathaway will star as Fantine in the big screen adaptation of 'Les Miserables'.

The 'One Day' actress has officially signed up to the role alongside Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, the man released from prison who re-invents his life and becomes a wealthy factory owner and mayor during the French Revolution, adopting Fantine's daughter Cossette as his own.

'The King's Speech' filmmaker Tom Hooper - who won a Best Director Oscar for his work on the movie starring Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter - will direct the project and his top choice for the lead role Hugh reportedly demanded Anne be given the part of Fantine.

Anne has some experience of the musical, she sang 'On My Own' from the production to Hugh when she hosted this year's Academy Awards with James Franco.

Russell Crowe has previously been confirmed to play Inspector Javert who pursues Valjean.

'Gladiator's William Nicholson has written the screenplay for the movie which is being produced by Cameron Mackintosh - who originally put the stage show together - with Working Title partners Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner.

The forthcoming film version of the stage show - which is set to start shooting later this year - will be the first since a 1998 non-musical starring Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush.