New Line Cinema has tapped Paul Bettany ("The Da Vinci Code") to star opposite Brendan Fraser in its family fantasy "Inkheart," to be directed by Iain Softley reports Variety.
"Inkheart" revolves around a girl whose father has the power to bring characters from books to life by reading aloud. When a villainous ruler and his band of rogues from a children's fable kidnap the man, his daughter and her friends, both real and imaginary, must rescue him.
Bettany would portray the fire-eating performer Dustfinger, whilst Fraser will play the father. Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire penned the bigscreen adaptation of German author Cornelia Funke's fantasy novel, the first of a trilogy which is viewed as a potential multi-installment fantasy franchise for New Line.
