In what seems to be a confluence of breakout talent, Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender are in talks to join Caryn Fukunaga’s new version of Jane Eyre. Wasikowska should be a big star soon thanks to her title role in Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland, Fassbender got a massive career boost thanks to Inglorious Basterds, while Fukunaga is getting her first English-language directing gig after the world cinema success of Sin Nombre.
Mia will play Jane Eyre, the demure governess who discovers her employer, Rochester (Fassbender) is harbouring dark secrets. The new film will apparently play up the gothic aspects of Charlotte Bronte’s novel, although no other information about the direction they’re taking the story has been released.
When the project was originally announced, Ellen Page was set to star as Jane, although she dropped out a while ago, which has left the way clear for Mia to step in and take over the role, showing that the actress is already carefully trying to find a mix of prestige pictures and more mainstream efforts (as is Fassbender for that matter, who’s got Centurion and Jonah Hex coming up, while Rochester will be a lot quieter role). Filming on Jane Eyre is due to begin sometime next year.