Universal is booking a trip to the ballet. The studio has won a bid battle for Swan Lake, a pitch inspired by the classic ballerina tale that has Felicity Jones (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) attached to star.
Multiple studios were after the pitch from Kristina Lauren Anderson, who penned the 2014 Black List-leading script Catherine the Great based on another centuries-old Russian story. Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name) is attached to direct for Mandeville Films.
The Tchaikovsky-penned Swan Lake likely is the world’s most famous ballet and certainly among the most popular. Written during the mid-1870s, it first was performed by Russia’s Bolshoi Ballet in 1877. Sequences from the work were featured in Black Swan, the 2010 ballet-set film from Fox Searchlight that earned a five Oscar noms including Best Picture and Director (Darren Aronofsky. Star Natalie Portman took home the trophy for her leading role.
Along with last year’s Star Wars spinoff, Jones’ recent credits include Inferno, A Monster Calls and The Theory of Everything.
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THR first reported the pickup and casting news today.
