Emma Watson In Talks To Be 'Cinderella' For Kenneth Branagh

The cast of Harry Potter went all genre on the final day of February. Mere hours after word broke that Daniel Radcliffe would be joining Frankenstein, Emma Watson was reportedly in early talks to play the lead role of Cinderella in Disney's live action remake of the property. Kenneth Branagh is attached to direct and Cate Blanchett is the wicked stepmother.

Variety broke the news, saying "while the actress does not yet have the role, Watson is in very early talks with the studio." Also this:

Still has to read script and work out schedule but early meetings make her the the studios choice

— Justin Kroll (@krolljvar) March 1, 2013

So while it's not 100% just yet, she'd be a dynamite choice on all fronts. A proven box office draw, a strong transitional period since the Potter films ended, and the talent and beauty needed to portray such an iconic character.

When Mark Romanek was attached to the film, he had a short list of actresses in mind to play Cinderella and Watson wasn't one of them. However, he left the project because "his darker take on the material wasn't in line with Disney's vision" and Watson is certainly more Disney than dark.

Disney is hoping to shoot Cinderella this fall in London aimed at a 2014 release. It'll be the latest live action fairy tale from the Mouse house: Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, next week's Oz: The Great and Powerful by Sam Raimi and the upcoming Angelina Jolie film Maleficent.

What do you think of Watson as Cinderella?