A Live-Action Anastasia Movie Is in the Works, but There's a Really Unexpected Twist

Following the ongoing trend in the movie and television industry, the story of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna is getting reimagined in a new live-action movie, Variety reports. The upcoming movie is not, however, affiliated with 21st Century Fox's 1997 animated movie Anastasia. Instead, it will portray an entirely new and fantastical story in which Anastasia discovers a portal that leads to the year 1988.

Emily Carey has already been announced as the movie's titular character. The 14-year-old actress previously portrayed a young Diana Prince in Wonder Woman, so she clearly has the chops to play another smart, scrappy young heroine. Joining her is Brandon Routh of Legends of Tomorrow fame, who is on board as Anastasia's father, Czar Nicholas II.

Production reportedly already began last Summer on the scenes set in 1988 and shooting is set to continue in April on the 1917 scenes. The director, Blake Harris, previously adapted The Little Mermaid based on the original Hans Christian Andersen novel of the same name. Though this movie is already underway, it's certainly not out of the question for Disney — who recently purchased 21st Century Fox — to create a live-action version of its animated classic sometime in the future.