Emma Watson in 'Beauty and the Beast': a BFF to Three Amigos?

The blogosphere is still buzzing, three weeks later, over the announcement that Emma Watson is attached to a new "Beauty and the Beast" thanks to producers Guillermo del Toro (director of such fantasy masterworks as "Pan's Labyrinth") and Denise Di Novi (who is busily promoting her current hit "Crazy, Stupid, Love.")

But no one I've read has made the obvious cinematic connection. Del Toro, Alejandro González Iñárritu ("Babel") and Alfonso Cuaron ("Children of Men") are the internationally acclaimed Mexican directors known as "The Three Amigos" -- and Cuaron directed Watson, wonderfully, in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," another movie about transfiguration, hinging on a werewolf who can't help transforming from man to monster by the light of the full moon.

I always thought of "Azkaban" as Kipling's "If" reconfigured as a black-comic round for Harry and Ron and Hermione. These three Hogwarts amigos must keep their heads while all about them are losing theirs -- or transforming into someone or something else.

"Azkaban" was the first film to show Watson coming fully into her own as a heartbreaker-in-the-making. A celebrity website I ran across reported (without citation, naturally) that Watson's "dream directors" are Cuaron and del Toro. If all goes well, even if del Toro produces "Beauty and the Beast" without directing it, she'll have collaborated with both her fantasy auteurs within the space of a decade and before she turns 22 or 23. 

Emma Watson signs up for Beauty and the Beast

Emma Watson will star in a film adaptation of 'Beauty and the Beast'. 

The 'Harry Potter' actress will take the lead role in a new version of the traditional fairy tale, to be made by 'Lord of the Rings' director Guillermo del Toro. 

The film's producer, Denise Di Novi, told comingsoon.net about the casting, but little else about the film is known at present. 

The movie is likely to be Emma's first lead role after 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2' – the last film in the series - which went into cinemas last week. 

The 21-year-old star recently told how she is keen to play characters who promote strong role models to young girls. 

She said: "I feel like young girls are told they have to be this kind of princess and be all this sweet stuff. 

"It's all bull***t. I identify with more of being a warrior princess, so if I had to be a princess, I'd have to kick some ass first. That would have a lot of people terrified." 

While she has no leading roles lined up, Emma does have two smaller parts in 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' and 'My Week with Marilyn', both set for release within the next year. 

'Beauty and the Beast' has been adapted into film a number of times, including an animated version by Walt Disney in 1991 and in a modern take starring Alex Pettyfer titled 'Beastly' earlier this year.