23 Mar - The "Lost in Translation" and "The Bling Ring" director Sofia Coppola is in negotiations to direct Universal Pictures' live action adaptation of "The Little Mermaid". "Harry Potter" star Emma Watson, who starred in Coppola's most recent work "The Bling Ring" is also rumored to be one of the choices for the role of Ariel herself, though it was proven to be false. So far, there is no word yet for who will be playing the titular role. "Edward Scissorhands" writer Caroline Thompson is writing the script for "The Little Mermaid". The script has also been worked on by Kelly Marcel ("Fifty Shades of Grey", "Saving Mr. Banks") and Abi Morgan ("Shame").
A Little Mermaid adaptation would mark a significant departure for usually indie heavy Coppola, who has become one of Hollywood's top directors thanks to films like "Lost in Translation", "Somewhere" and "The Virgin Suicides". Screenwriter Abi Morgan said that the story was "so beautiful and exquisite and painful, so we absolutely have to have the original ending", in which the mermaid sacrifices herself for love. "Atonement" director Joe Wright had previously been attached to the project, but he is currently working on "Pan", an update of JM Barrie's children's stories which is also a live action tale of a literature classic.