French-Canadian actress Sophie Nelisse (Monsieur Lahzar) will make her English-language debut as the central character, Liesel Meminger, who witnesses the horrors of Nazi Germany while living with her foster parents, the Hubermanns (Rush and Watson). Shearrives with a stolen book and begins collecting others, learning to read while the Hubermanns harbor a Jewish refugee called Max in their cellar.
The drama, which is being directed by Brian Percival (Downton Abbey), also starsBen Schnetzer (Happy Town) and Nico Liersch. Karen Rosenfelt and Ken Blancato are producing, and the film is set to begin shooting later this month in Berlin.
Rush recently starred in the European drama The Best Offer, directed by Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso). Watson can next be seen in Some Girl(s) with Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, and Little Boy with Kevin James and Sean Astin.