Emma Watson to star in Guillermo Del Toro's 'Beast'

Sarah Burbank

Emma Watson at a Pre-Bafta Party at The Savoy Hotel. (London, England)

Emma Watson will step into a leading role of Beast directed by Guillermo Del Toro.

Variety, who first reported the news, states that the former Harry Potter star is in final negotiations to play in a rendition of Beauty and the Beast.

Cinema Blend notes that Del Toro plans on taking the classic approach when directing the film. Andrew Davies, who worked on Bridget Jones Diary and The Three Musketeers is set to write the script in a deal that has been in the works since last spring.

Beast comes after the Disney film made its 3D debut in theaters and since, a series of fairytale trends on TV have ensued including ABCs Once Upon a Time as well as two other TV pilots for Beauty and the Beast are rumored to be in the works.

Del Toro is currently wrapping up directing Pacific Rim, but also has three other projects on hand including one for Dreamworks as well as a Haunted Mansion film for Disney.

After concluding her role as Hermione Granger in the high grossing Harry Potter films, Watson has starred in My Week with Marilyn where she played Lucy, and is pre-production for Your Voice in My Head.