Kate Winslet to star in Black Beauty movie for Disney+

Kate Winslet will provide the voice of Black Beauty in a new adaptation of Anna Sewell’s classic 19th century novel for Disney+.

In the Disney+ version, Black Beauty is a wild mustang born free in the American west. When she is captured and taken from her family, her story intersects with that of 17-year-old Jo Green (Mackenzie Foy, pictured), who is similarly grieving for her lost parents.

Jo gradually develops a bond with Black Beauty which makes them inseparable.

Joining Oscar winner Winslet in the Black Beauty cast are Game of Thrones actor Iain Glen, as John Manly, and CSI: NY star Claire Forlani, as Mrs Winthrop.

Black Beauty has been produced for film and television numerous times, most notably the movie starring Sean Bean and David Thewlis in 2014 and the ITV series The Adventures of Black Beauty, which ran from 1972-74 and produced 54 episodes.

Black Beauty will help beef up the movie offerings available on Disney+, according to The Hollywood Reporter. With movies not being released in their usual volume because of the pandemic, Disney+ can't rely on movies transferring from the cinema to streaming platform.

That's not quite the same problem with its television series. Disney+ has had a substantial hit with TV series The Mandalorian, which received 15 nominations in this week's Emmy Awards.

Black Beauty is directed by Ashley Avis (Adolescence), who also wrote the screenplay, JB Pictures’ Jeremy Bolt (Polar, Monster Hunter) and Robert Kulzer from Constantin Film are producers and Martin Moszkowicz, Edward Winters and Jon Brown are executive producers.

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