Chloe Grace Moretz already has a long list of big roles on her resume, but the young actress may have just found the one to turn her into a superstar. She has been cast as Ariel in Working Title and Universal’s The Little Mermaid.
The news was first reported by Variety, which confirmed that Richard Curtis (Love Actually, Four Weddings And A Funeral) is in talks to write the script. Moretz, 18, also confirmed the news on Twitter.
“Been waiting a long time to tell you guys !! #TheLittleMermaid going to be a beautiful experience!” she excitedly wrote. “Can't wait to show everyone my Mermaid!”
The new film will be produced by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner of Working Title. The executive producers are Liza Chasin and Amelia Granger. Universal executives Erik Baiers and Chloe Tellin are overseeing for the studio.
It’s still not clear where Universal plans on going with this story and how close it will stick to the Hans Christian Andersen story. The most famous film adaptation of the story is, of course, Disney’s 1989 animated film.
The Little Mermaid doesn’t have a director, but it already lost one. Sofia Coppola was hired in March 2014, but left in June over creative differences. Variety’s sources suggest that Coppola didn’t want to go with a well-known actress to play Ariel.
Moretz is making the sequel to Neighbors for Universal and has The Fifth Wave opening in January.