This is a big month for Emma Watson fans, as she appears against type in not just one but two films. She has a wild cameo in Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s just-released This is the End, and next week she’ll sex up the Los Angeles party scene in Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring. But it’s possible that members of her Harry Potter fanbase aren’t as interested in seeing her use her talents in anything but fantasy franchises, and those folks are in luck.
Variety reports Warner Bros. is teaming Watson up with Harry Potter producer David Heyman for the actress to executive produce and star in an adaptation of the upcoming fantasy novel trilogy Queen of the Tearling from author Erika Johansen. Let’s all take a sizable sigh of relief that despite having a 19-year-old as its protagonist that it doesn’t appear to be a “young adult” trilogy. In fact, the lofty phrasing being used to describe the series is “female Game of Thrones,” which will guarantee it sales even if it’s completely different.
The first book is set over three hundred years after the earth was ravaged by an environmental catastrophe, and a malevolent Red Queen holds considerable power. The lead character was inspired by a 2007 speech by Barack Obama, of all things-- though it's unclear exactly what Obama said that sparked Johansen's idea to write the series.
A writer and director still have to be found, but even this early framework almost guarantees this film’s success, for better or worse. Watson has another epic sized (arguably fantasy) tale coming out next year with Darren Aronofsky’s Noah.
