Guess who’s going to be in ‘The Little Prince’ movie?

Guess who’s going to be in the upcoming movie version of “The Little Prince�?

You’re right, it’s James Franco. It’s obvious because that’s his picture up there. But Franco is the obvious guess: At this point, he seems to be involved in practically every literary film that’s in the works. He acts, options, writes and directs them -- sometimes all four at once. His adaptation of William Faulkner’s “As I Lay Dying� recently screened at Cannes.

First published in 1943, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s “The Little Prince� has become a classic of children’s literature, although it’s not entirely for children. The multimillion-seller famously includes the line, “On ne voit bien qu’avec le cœur. L’essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.� In the U.S., the English translation is better known: “One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye.�

Franco will star in an animated version of “The Little Prince� that’s in the works. The star-filled voice cast includes Rachel McAdams, Jeff Bridges, Benicio Del Toro, Mackenzie Foy and Paul Giamatti. Three -- Bridges, Cotillard and Del Toro -- have won Oscars.

The book is the story of a pilot who crashes on a tiny asteroid that’s home to a little boy-slash-prince. The boy tells the pilot about his life and adventures, which include his love for a beautiful, demanding rose.

In the film, Bridges will voice the pilot, and Cotillard will portray the Rose. The other roles have not yet been announced. Could Franco play the Snake? The Fox? The Prince?

“The Little Prince� has been filmed before; director Stanley Donen released a live-action, musical version in 1974. The new film will be directed by Mark Osborne, who directed “King Fu Panda.�

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