"Cinderella" (2015).

Walt Disney Pictures is continuing its reworking of classic fairy tales from its famed vaults. This time around, it is a live-action version of the classic tale of "Cinderella" (2015), starring Cate Blanchett, with Lily James as Cinderella.


While life may be going on as normal for you, busy making plans for the holidays and all that, that is not the case for princess fans. Within the princess blogosphere, everything is in a state of wild excitement and disarray. The Force is disturbed. "Cinderella" is coming!


Why? Because we have now gotten the first preview and posters for the upcoming 2015 'Cinderella' live-action adaption from Walt Disney Pictures. And that is big news for an awful lot of people.


Now, you may have one of two reactions to that news: either complete indifference; or a sudden perking up of your attention. If the former, life will continue as normal for you, and good for you, enjoy the football playoffs and the start of spring baseball training; but if the latter, the next few months will be quite exciting.


While last year we saw 'Maleficent' with Angelina Jolie as Disney's hit live-action adaption of a previous Disney animated feature film classic, this year it is 'Cinderella's' turn. Indications are that it will be a wonderful film with good production values. It will not, however, have quite the same star power as 'Maleficent.' After all, there simply aren't that many film stars with the celebrity wattage of Angelina Jolie. Too bad they couldn't get her to play the Fairy Godmother, or maybe even Lady Tremaine. However, it appears Jolie may be giving up acting entirely anyway, and the actresses they have chosen are the top of the line.


The Disney princess line is one of the phenomena of the marketing universe. Conceived barely a decade ago, it has become a juggernaut of sales around the globe. It fulfills fantasies and dreams and aspirations of little girls all around the world, allowing them to dream for just a little while of a world where people are either gracious and kind, or easy to mark out as mean and awful. They also make capital Christmas and birthday gifts.


With 'Frozen' powering Christmas sales in 2014 and taking away merchandise sales leadership from traditional Cinderella dolls and playhouses and the like, it is time for the empire to strike back, so to speak. And it is, with the new 'Cinderella.'

Game of Thrones star Richard Madden.

So, Disney will be releasing 'Cinderella on 13 March 2015 (27 March 2015 in the UK, and with varying release dates from 12 March to 2 April 2015 elsewhere). It is directed by Kenneth Branagh, who directs both classy productions such as 'Henry V' and mass-market films such as 'Thor.'


The film's cast includes Lily James as Cinderella, Cate Blanchett as the Lady Tremaine aka the evil stepmother, Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) as the prince and Helena Bonham Carter as the fairy godmother. The film is being produced by Allison Shearmur, David Barron and Simon Kinberg.

Lily James will play Cinderella.

Sophie McShera will play Drizella and Holliday Grainger is the other step-sister. Most unfortunately, it appears that Lucifer, Lady Tremaine's snarky and contemptuous cat who appeared in the original classic 1950 'Cinderella' animated film and its direct-to-video sequels from the early 2000s, 'Cinderella II: Dreams Come True' and 'Cinderella III: A Twist in Time,' will not be making an appearance. That is a true and tragic loss for 'Cinderella' fans. But we may be surprised! Let's hope so.

Cate Blanchett stars as the Fairy Godmother.

Disney is doing this as an adaptation of the Charles Perrault 'Cinderella' folk tale of the mistreated girl who eventually finds her prince. We are being reassured that it will be a fairly straightforward version - Cinderella will not be slaying any dragons and saving the Prince, the Prince will not turn out to be an evil investment banker, it will be the classic tale with only a few alterations.


Because there is so little out about the film, which many people who are really into the princess genre did not even know was coming, there is a lot of misinformation out and about on the Internet. For instance, some are using the Disney Portrait of Cinderella portraying Scarlett Johansson and photographed by Annie Liebovitz to promote this film - and it is a classic, terrific portrait - but it has nothing to do with the 2015 live-action film.

This is an absolutely awesome Disney Portrait taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz of Scarlett Johansson as Cinderella - and it was done years ago and has absolutely nothing to do with Disney's 2015 live-action version of 'Cinderella.'

One criticism that is being voiced is that, once again, Disney is choosing to populate the cast of a fairy tale with posh English accents. Now, I have been to England more than once; I love the English; the English are my friends; and I would defend the English to the death. I shall visit that glorious realm again.


But it appears that every single time that Disney does a new fairy tale project, such as Tim Burton's 2010 smash hit 'Alice in Wonderland' or the now-departed 'Once Upon a Time in Wonderland' television series or several characters on ABC television's 'Once Upon a Time,' they have somebody speaking as if she just came out of Mayfair or perhaps Brisbane. No, there is nothing wrong with that, and it does sound wonderful, but what exactly is the point? Are fairy tales only the province of the English? Are American accents déclassé? What gives, Disney? Are you still trying to make up for that awful cockney accent in 'Mary Poppins'?


So anyway, we shall be bringing you more news about 'Cinderella' as it becomes available. We probably won't be hearing much until after the holidays, so as not to disturb 'Frozen' sales. Stay tuned!
 

The Scarlett Johansson picture of Cinderella for Disney.

This is the famed Thomas Kincade version of Cinderella's castle. No, this has nothing to do with the 2015 film either, but it is pretty, isn't it?

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