Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar-nominated for the Coen Bros’ True Grit, is in negotiations to star as Juliet in a new Romeo and Juliet movie.
Carlo Carlie, an Italian director perhaps best known for the 1992 festival foreign film Flight of the Innocent, is behind the camera for the adaptation of the William Shakespeare classic, which has a some big names behind it.
Julian Fellowes, whose screenwriting credits range from Gosford Park to The Tourist, wrote the script and is producing along with Garbiele Muccino, the director of the Will Smith drama Seven Pounds, as well as former New Line execs-turned-producers Ileen Maisel and Mark Ordesky.
In case you skipped English class, here’s the skinny on Romeo and Juliet: Romeo is the son of the Montague family and is an able swordsman. Juliet is the daughter of the Capulet household, almost 14 years old. The two young teens fall in love but their respective families are violently feuding and try to keep them apart, leading to their tragic deaths.
The movie, said to be budgeted in the $15 million range, will shoot in Italy later this spring.
Romeo and Juliet will be Steinfeld’s first movie since the actress, 14, received acclaim for her work in Grit. Her portrayal of Mattie Rose opened many doors, including putting in her in the final round for lead role in Hunger Games (the part ultimately went to fellow Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence).
The actress, repped by ICM and Coast to Coast Talent, became attached to Forgotten, an adaptation of a YA novel that in February was set up at Paramount with Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage of Fake Empire producing. She is also attached to a Sleeping Beauty script that is currently out to buyers
