Anne Hathaway 'turns villain to star as the Grand High Witch' in The Witches reboot

Anne Hathaway is reportedly set to star as the Grand High Witch in the new film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Witches.

The 36-year-old actress will take the villainous role made famous by Anjelica Huston in the 1990 screen version of Dahl’s chilling tale, according to Variety.

The new adaptation will be directed by Robert Zemeckis, who will also produce the reboot along with his business partner Jack Rapke and Oscar-winning directors Alfonso Cuarón and Guillermo del Toro.

Dahl’s novel follows a seven-year-old boy who inadvertently chances upon a yearly gathering of witches while visiting the seaside with his grandmother.

He must then foil the Grand High Witch’s sinister plan to turn children into mice using poisoned chocolate.

The 1990 film was directed by Nicolas Roeg, and also starred Jasen Fisher, Rowan Atkinson, Brenda Blethyn and Jane Horrocks.

Reports of Hathaway’s latest role received an overwhelmingly positive response on social media, with Twitter users revealing that they “couldn’t wait” to see the forthcoming reboot.

“This is going to be the most iconic thing of 2019,” one particularly hopeful fan wrote.

Others pointed out that the Oscar-winning star had “big shoes to fill,” as one user wrote: “I’m looking forward to this remake, but I do have to say that Anne Hathaway has some big shoes to fill as Anjelica Huston was amazing as the Grand Witch in the OG.”

Huston herself appears less enthused by the prospect of a reboot. The 67-year-old recently revealed that she “[doesn’t] really know why” the film is being remade in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

“I think Nick Roeg made the ultimate Witches,” she said, before wishing “best of luck” to those involved with the new version.

“ I hope it works,” she said. “I just can’t imagine anyone trying to remake that particular [film]. Maybe it’s a good idea for this generation.”

Standard Online has contacted Hathaway’s representatives for comment.