‘The Little Mermaid’ with Chloe Grace Moretz has new director in mind

Universal has a new director in its sights for The Little Mermaid, which will star Chloe Grace Moretz in the latest adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen story.

Rebecca Thomas; Credit: Peter West/ACE/INFphoto.com
Rebecca Thomas; Credit: Peter West/ACE/INFphoto.com

Sources for TheWrap and Variety say that Rebecca Thomas is in early talks for the gig. She would replace Sofia Coppola, who left the project in June because of creative differences with Universal and Working Title.

Thomas directed the 2012 film Electrick Children and is still attached to direct Paramount’s Looking For Alaska, an adaptation of the John Green novel. That film still doesn’t have a lead though, so it’s not clear which project Thomas would be doing first.

TheWrap reports the Elle Fanning is currently Paramount’s top pick for Looking for Alaska. Fanning actually turned down the Ariel role in The Little Mermaid (probably because she just did Maleficent for Disney).

The Little Mermaid is expected to stick closer to the original Andersen story about a mermaid who falls in love with a man than the 1989 Disney animated film. It is being written by Richard Curtis (Love Actually, About Time).

Both The Little Mermaid and Looking For Alaska have yet to earn the greenlight from their studios.

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