Disney film "Cinderella" starred Lily James as the title character and Richard Madden as Prince. (Photo : Reuters)
"Cinderella" is hoped to collect $60 million during opening day, when actors in ITV's "Downton Abbey" and HBO's "Game Of Thrones" appear on the big screen as Ella and Kit, aka Prince Charming.
"I really, really don't think I would have gotten Ella (in Cinderella) without having done Downton," Lily James told the Toronto Sun. The English actress said 'Downton' gave her a chance to be "seen more."
Lily James played Lady Rose MacClare in "Downton Abbey." Cinderella's Prince Charming, meanwhile, is portrayed by Richard Madden, who is well-known as Robb Stark in "Game Of Thrones."
In comparing "Cinderella" to "Game Of Thrones," Madden joked Kit/Prince Charming is lucky because he would not "deal with violent deaths of family members," CineMovie reported. Both Lily James and Richard Madden are both appearing for the first time as leads in a big film after completing a huge television series.
If "Cinderella" earns at least $60 million in its opening, it will be a good sign for Walt Disney Studios. The outlook would be significantly better for the planned reboots of "Dumbo" and "Beauty and the Beast" if this target is met, Variety reported.
Early "Cinderella" reviews point out to a traditional storytelling of the fairy tale, emphasizing the heroine's determination to "have courage and be kind."
Cate Blanchett joins Lily James and Richard Madden as Cinderella's evil stepmother. Helena Bonham Carter plays the Fairy Godmother.
"Cinderella" is set to battle it out with "Run All Night" (starring Liam Neeson) on its Mar. 13 opening. The movie runs for one hour and 45 minutes.
This latest modern-day take on "Cinderella" was written by Chris Weitz and directed by Kenneth Branagh.
